


Toon Force: The Dark Knight Returns: Part 2

by PerkyGoth14



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 43,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25177846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: Continuing from Part 1, three months after The Mutant mayhem in Gotham City, the Moltenschwartz family continue to try their hardest to take care and look after their children and their new lives such as Felicity possibly going through teen rebellion with some new friends, LJ and Zofia wondering what to do with their lives, and even a new Harley Quinn and return of The Joker?





	1. Chapter 1

Previously on _Batman: The Dark Knight Returns_... Stuff happened. You wanna know what happened? Read Part One, because I can't sum it all up here. It had been three months since Batman and his allies had defeated the Mutant Leader in a pit battle, and things had heated up nicely. The Sons of Batman had been committing a number of vigilante actions under Batman's name, and the news were going wild about them... Especially a certain patient, whom was left with a grin on his face about the news.

"I see my favorite patient is up and about," A doctor said, coming to Jack Napier, formerly known as The Joker. "Just super to see how well you're doing. For years it seemed like you didn't have-"

"A reason to go on." Jack finished for him with a grin that still felt chilling, even after all these years.

"Exactly." The doctor nodded.

"I saw you on the TV last night." Jack then said to him.

"Oh, that," The doctor replied. "I get invited on the talk-show circuit now and then."

"Must be wonderful to get to tell your side of things," Jack said before he frowned and covered his face with his hands as he began to sob a bit. "I know the world has every reason to hate me."

"Don't say that," The doctor soothed. "I always say, 'Hate never heals'."

"But it's so disheartening." Jack cried a bit.

The doctor came to wrap his arm around the former Joker before he watched a debate on the TV as people seemed to argue over The Dark Knight before he thought of a way to help out the patient in need. "I bet I could arrange an appearance for you on one of the shows," he then offered softly. "The home would have to approve a day pass. They'll insist I be right beside you at all times, even on-stage." he then said.

"Oh, please," Jack sulked as he felt useless. "No one wants to hear from me."

"I think they'll fight for the chance to book you," The doctor smiled warmly before he decided to walk off from that to help cheer him up. "I'll make some calls right now."

As the doctor left, Jack watched him go before a grin formed onto his face yet again.

* * *

Meanwhile, LJ, Sandra, and Ichabod were walking home from school when they saw a moving truck showing up to the house next door.

"Whoa... Looks like we'll be getting some new neighbors." LJ noted.

"I have a thought." Sandra said.

"Shoot." LJ replied.

"They'll keep you up at night with an annoying pet and spy on you as they see witchcraft from your house." Sandra smirked a bit sardonically.

"Heheheheh... Oh, Sandra, I guess I find your sardonic wit charming." LJ chuckled with a blush.

"It's what I do best." Sandra remarked.

"Well, shall we go check out the new neighbors?" Ich smirked. "They might have a pool."

"Sure, why not?" LJ shrugged. "Nothing says fun times like snooping on your neighbors before they do it to you!"

Sandra rolled her eyes a little from that. And so, the three came to the nearest window to peek inside of the house that was just sold. They saw a large, heavyset man helping the movers lower his boat into the pool, while his wife was helping to move the furniture into the garage. Nearby, two kids watched: a lanky-looking beanpole of a boy, and a short, pudgy little girl.

"Well, they have a boat _and_ a pool, so that's something," LJ noted. "...As well as cable AND satellite TV."

"They must be loaded," Ich replied. "Gosh, LJ, you sure are lucky to have neighbors with such great luxuries."

"Yeah, I guess so," LJ shrugged. "It'll probably be more interesting when they're all settled in. That's when they start showin' up to invite you to stuff. C'mon, let's go to my house. We can watch afternoon cartoons there."

The other two looked at each other and soon followed LJ inside his house.

* * *

Cherry marked her calendar as she eagerly awaited Saturday night.

"Mother?" Zofia spoke up.

"Yes, child?" Cherry replied.

"What do you do on Saturday nights?" Zofia asked. "Father and Uncle Thor say you go out for special private time for yourself then, but... What do you do?"

"I'm afraid I can't discuss that for children under 17." Cherry replied.

"Yeah, that's pretty hush-hush," replied LJ as he came in and took off his shoes. "Hi, Mom."

"Afternoon, Mrs. Schwartz." Ichabod and Sandra waved as they came inside.

"Oh, hello, kids," Cherry said. "There's some snacks in the kitchen if you kids are hungry."

"Thanks!" They all said.

"By the way, some family just moved in next door," explained LJ. "And they have a boat and a pool and cable and satellite TV."

"Oh?" Cherry replied. "Interesting... Thor!"

Thor rushed in with a salute.

"...Uh... Heh..." Cherry chuckled a little from that. "Um, why don't you bake a pie for the new neighbors?"

"Isn't that cliché?" Thor asked.

"...Sure." Cherry replied.

"I'll do it!" Thor then beamed.

"And I'll help!" Lionel added, popping in as there was a knock on the door.

"Someone get the door, please?" Cherry requested as she walked off. "I have to check the dryer."

Felicity looked over before she decided to get the door to see who it was.

Outside was the same heavyset man from next door, with a jovial look on his face. "Hiya, new neighbor!" he exclaimed. "Name's Maritime Melvin Halliburton! Me and the family just moved in next door, so I thought I'd introduce myself!"

"Uh... Erm... Hello..." Felicity blinked, a bit shook up from the man's cheerful disposition. "My name is Felicity... Welcome to the neighborhood."

"Thanks, Felicity!" Melvin exclaimed. "Ya mind if I meet your parents?"

"Erm... Okay..." Felicity gulped.

"Super!" Melvin smiled at her as he came inside. "Looks like a pretty good house so far."

Felicity walked away as she suddenly felt unclean somehow.

Thor hummed to himself as began to make a pie in the kitchen.

"Knock knock, new neighbors!" exclaimed Melvin as he poked his head inside. "Figured I'd come and meetcha!"

"Gah!" Thor let out a small shriek. "Erm... Hey, there..."

"You must be the man of the house, am I right?" Melvin grinned.

"...I'd like to think so, yes..." Thor replied. "I'm Thornton Moltenscar, but everybody calls me 'Thor'."

"And I... Am Lionel Schwartz," replied Lionel.

"Pleased to meet you two!" said Melvin. "Name's Melvin Halliburton, and I was lookin' to invite you and your family to a seafood cookout we're gonna have on Friday!"

"Seafood cook-out..." Thor said before drooling. "Shrimp... Crab... Flounder... Oohhh! Cherry would love that~"

"That your wife?" Melvin asked.

"Yes." Both Lionel and Thor replied.

"Oh... Both of you...?" Melvin then asked them.

"Yep-yep-yep!" Lionel and Thor nodded.

"Huh... Well, first time for everything." Melvin shrugged. "I think you can meet the rest of the family at the barbecue, and maybe we could invite ya over for viewin' parties, Christmas parties, Thanksgiving parties, 4th of July celebrations... Why, it'll be like hangin' out with more of the family!" he chuckled.

"...You had a lot of time to think about this..." Thor replied. "Maybe we could if we check our schedules."

Felicity muttered a bit as she walked by to go to her room.

"You better not be sassing us again," Thor reminded her. "Teenagers... You got teenagers, Milton?" he then asked.

"Actually, I got a 14-year-old son, and an 8-year-old daughter! And it's Melvin, thank you," Melvin replied. "Little Otis looks up to me, and little Gwendy is a gymnastics enthusiast."

"Gymnastics..." Thor said. "Say, Flick, don't you go to school with a couple of gymnasts?"

"Yes, Father..." Felicity replied. "The Dennis twins."

"Our kids are creative in their own way," Thor smiled. "Felicity's our oldest, and we have Zofia who's very smart for her age, and then there's LJ, he's very unique, especially when it comes to cartoons."

"Talk about talented!" Melvin replied. "Well, I'll see ya all Friday night at 5:00. Don't forget ta bring a lobster bib! We'll have plenty, but just in case you wanna bring your own, then do!"

The family shared grins from that.

"Bye-Bye, now!" Melvin waved and walked away as he shut the door behind him.

"...Okay... I dunno why, but I feel like my skin is crawling..." Thor spoke up.

"Why do you say that?" asked Lionel. "He seems... Oddly cheerful, but hey, like I'm gonna turn down the promise of free food."

"I won't either..." Thor admitted. "He just feels like... Ya know... Like that clean-cut working man you'd see in a sitcom from the 1950's."

"You mean like that Cleaver guy? I'll admit that's kinda trippy," replied Lionel. "But I guess he's okay."

"Hmm..." Thor paused.

Cherry came back over with something wrapped up in a bag.

"Your, uh, outfit all dry, dear?" Thor asked.

"Yep," Cherry said. "I'm good to go this week."

"Great! This one oughta be interesting." Lionel replied. "Although... What exactly is it for again?"

"You know, my special Saturday night outings for after midnight." Cherry said with a wink of her eyes.

"I go there with her sometimes." Thor helped remind Lionel.

"Ah..." Lionel nodded. "I still don't exactly know WHAT happens there. Maybe you could explain, like if somebody were watching this scene and was super-confused?"

"Well, all right, let me put this away for right now and I'll tell you all about it." Cherry said.

Thor and Lionel nodded as they came to the living room to wait while the kids did their own thing for a while as LJ took his friends to his room, Zofia read one of her books, and Felicity began to write in her diary.

"I baked a pie for the neighbors," Thor told Lionel. "I hope that they like it."

"Oh, I'm sure they will," Lionel replied as he turned on the TV. "Besides, who could deny your delicious pie?"

"Oh, my~" Thor chuckled and blushed. "Yeah..."

Lionel playfully tussled his hair as they both watched that week's new episode of _Darkwing Duck: The New Adventures_. In it, Gosalyn was now going for a genuine superhero career, giving her alter-ego "Quiverwing Quack" another shot, now that she was a teenager.

"This looks interesting," Thor said. "She also looks pretty cute. She is all grown up."

"True on that," Lionel agreed. "Honker's at least become a little less awkward, and yet the rest of his family is their same old Muddlefoot selves. Hm... That Melvin guy kinda reminds me of Herb Muddlefoot. Bet his wife's like Binkie and the son is like Tank."

"That's an interesting point." Thor had to admit.

* * *

They watched the episode for a while until Cherry came over on commercial break.

"Hey, Muffin~" Thor smiled.

"Hey... Hambo..." Cherry replied.

"Hiya, hiya," Lionel smiled. "So... You were going to explain something from earlier?"

"All right," Cherry said. "As you guys know, usually on Saturday nights, I go out and normally sleep through the day so I can stay up all night for the event."

"Right." Thor and Lionel nodded from that.

"This event is to go to the local movie theater to catch a midnight screening of _The Rocky Horror Picture Show,_ " Cherry said before taking out something that was covered up before she unveiled it to show that it looked like a French maid costume. "So I wear this to shout at the movie with other people who come to see the movie dressing up as characters from the movie and we even throw stuff like toilet paper or rice or wear newspapers on our heads to follow along with the movie and sometimes there's a shadow cast, a group of people who reenact the movie while it plays."

"And one time you got dragged to see that with Hilda and Sabrina." Thor spoke up.

"Well, more or less forced to go, but I had fun, Sabrina? Not so much." Cherry then said.

"Ohhhhhhh..." Lionel replied. "Well... I wanna give it a shot. Like a trial run, ya know? Maybe... We could all go?"

"Hmm... I dunno..." Cherry said.

"Yeah... You think you could handle it?" Thor chuckled a bit to himself. "It's a bit naughty~"

Lionel scoffed. "I can do naughty just fine, thank you very much!" he replied. "I want in!"

"Well, all right," Cherry said. "I'm just not going around next week."

"Oh, right, next week is a big dance for Felicity's school, right?" Thor asked.

"Yes, it is," Cherry said. "I just hope she'll be alright. I don't know the kids at her school pretty well, but there's a Family Day event, I guess it's like a Parent-Teacher Conference where we're supposed to go to school with her to meet the other parents and her teachers."

"Then we'll be glad to come with you," said Lionel. "Also, these new neighbors moved in next door, and the dad, Maritime Melvin Halliburton invited us to a seafood cookout he's having Friday evening to properly introduce his family to the neighbors."

"And he has a boat and a pool!" LJ pointed out as he came downstairs to retrieve some of his fallen toys.

"Lionel Walter Schwartz Jr, were you just eavesdropping?" Cherry asked slyly.

"Actually, I saw them earlier on the way home," LJ replied to his mother. "And I figured I'd inject that little tidbit."

"Hmm... All right, no punishment..." Cherry said, much to his relief. "Might as well check out these new neighbors to see if they're worth our time. Of course, all in due time."

"I'm not sure I feel safe around them." Felicity mumbled to herself.

"We meet new people regardless of how they feel like Tim Burton conformists, young lady," Cherry reminded. "Let's just try to have a good time when that day comes. Thor, you got the pie?"

"It's in the oven." Thor promised her.

"Good," Cherry said. "You guys will wear your best suits and I'll wear my best dress."

"Okay, hon," Lionel replied. "We'll do our best, even if they are kinda goofy."

"Better than being... Normal..." Cherry said before she had a bit of a blank stare.

Felicity heaved a small sigh as she felt unsure about the new neighbors so far.

"Alright, Felicity, what's got you so spooked about these guys?" asked Lionel as he sat with her.

"That guy is just so... Creepy..." Felicity replied.

"Because he's so cheerful?" asked Lionel. "Ah, he's no trouble. The only thing scary about him is how obnoxious he'll be about inviting us over for stuff. I guess you're just not used to people being that happy about anything."

"Well... No... Not really..." Felicity had to admit. "The most happy I see someone get is when we have guests over like when his family came over to dinner last weekend." she then added as she pointed towards Thor.

"Well, I thought they disowned me after I found the relationship of my dreams," Thor said softly. "That was a very important time for me, Pumpkin Pie."

"Well, people experience different levels of happiness," Lionel replied. "Besides, these new neighbors aren't gonna be any trouble, understand? And we ARE attending their seafood cookout this Friday, so hopefully, they've cooled down by then."

Felicity paused a bit.

"Answer your uncle." Cherry's voice prompted.

"Yes, sir." Felicity then said softly.

"You'll see. Everything will be alright," Lionel told his half-daughter/half-niece. "Besides, like we'll turn down free food."

"Hmm... All right..." Felicity said. "I'm going to write in my diary."

"Sure, dear, whatever keeps you happy," Cherry replied. "That's in your name after all."

Felicity walked off to go to her room to have some private time.

"She's a little more quiet than usual," Thor frowned. "Maybe we should treat her to something nice."

"Sure... But what, though?" asked Lionel.

"Hmm..." Thor stopped to think. "Hmm... Hmm..."

"Don't think too hard, you'll give yourself another migraine." Cherry advised.

"Maybe we oughta put our heads together and think of something," Lionel suggested. "That way we have more chance of constructing a plan."

"Fair enough," Thor smiled. "She seemed to have fun when my family came by to visit though."

"Ah, yes, I remember..." Cherry replied.

* * *

**_One Week Ago..._ **

"Yes? Yes...?" Thor said on the phone before he beamed. "Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! We'll appreciate that!" he then hung up.

"Thor, did you try to sell the kids for magic beans?" Cherry asked with a hot water bottle on her head as she laid down on the couch.

"Of course not, silly!" Thor replied. "Some extended family wants to come and visit us!"

"Extended family?" asked LJ, poking his head out from the attic door. "How so?"

"My side of the family, actually," Thor smiled. "My mother just called and she wants to come see us all for dinner."

"Oh. Well, it'll be cool meeting our grandma." LJ replied as he ducked back in and slid down his fireman's pole to get downstairs.

Thor smiled from that.

"At least your grandmother is tolerable..." Cherry mumbled. "Your grandfather? ...Eh..."

"Shh..." Thor shushed her from that. "Ooh, I gotta get ready!" he then said as he zipped around the house to do housework.

"That's a good little wife." Cherry smirked playfully.

Several hours passed, and finally, the house was ready just in time for the big visit.

"Alright, I see a car outside." Lionel replied as he arranged their family portrait.

"That must be them," Thor said as he wore his best suit. "Good manners, everybody."

"All right, but if your old man says anything, I'm gonna throw him to the moon." Cherry said as she tied a hair ribbon into Zofia's hair.

"Fair trade," Lionel replied as he got LJ and Felicity dressed with a wiggle of his nose. "And now... It begins, people. Show me your game faces!"

The kids then each smiled to the best of their abilities.

"Like you mean it." Cherry said.

The kids then gave bigger smiles to look cheerful and innocent as children should be.

"Eh, that's a little much," Lionel told them. "Maybe a bit more realistic."

The kids toned down their smiles.

"A regular Kodak moment if I ever saw one!" Lionel exclaimed as he got the door. "Yes, who is it?"

"Why, hello, dear," Moxie smiled, speaking cheerfully as always as she came with a teenage girl beside her. "It's been a while, huh? I'm so happy to see you. Phoebe, say hello."

Phoebe glanced up from her phone briefly before paying more attention to it as her thumb moved to tap the buttons on her screen. "Hey."

"Oh, my," Moxie sighed a bit. "Ever since she got that new phone for school, she's been a little distant from us."

"Hey, Bebe!" Thor beamed. "So good to see you again! You've grown like a sunflower! I say that cuz comparing you to a weed feels insulting."

"Heh..." Phoebe replied as she kept staring at her phone.

Thor rolled his eyes a bit before he let her come inside.

"Your aunt and uncle will be here too," Moxie smiled. "I hope that's okay."

"Uh, how about Zolten?" Cherry asked as she peeked over Thor's shoulder, with the company of a footstool in order to do so.

"Zolten said he had to work, but he would see what he could do." Moxie replied.

"Well... Alright," Lionel replied. "Kids, meet your grandmother/Aunt Moxie, and your cousin Phoebe."

The kids came out, looking over.

"Sup?" Phoebe said as she played with her phone.

"How about we take that away?" Thor suggested as he grabbed his sister's phone.

"Augh! No!" Phoebe cried out. "I need to beat my high score on Flappy Birds with Friends!"

"And I said no phones at the dinner table!" Thor told her as he successfully nabbed the phone with a small smile. "You can have this back later. I promise."

"Hmph..." Phoebe firmly pouted before she looked down at the kids. "Um... Hey."

"Hi." LJ waved.

"How's it going?" asked Zofia.

"Salutations," added Felicity. "I guess you're my Aunt Phoebe."

"That would be me," Phoebe replied. "Let's see if I have this right... Felicity, Zofia, and Junior."

"Yep," Zofia said. "All right and in birth order."

"Hey, I can be smart when I want to be," Phoebe smirked. "Guess I'll be hangin' with you guys until dinner."

"You bet!" LJ replied. "I was gonna watch Donald Duck on TV, but I guess I wouldn't mind having company to watch."

"Cartoons? Hmm... I guess that would be alright," Phoebe replied. "Some kids at my school think it's babyish to watch cartoons all the time, but meh."

"Well, whoever thought that way is a stultus capitis," Zofia rolled her eyes. "You do you first before anybody else."

"Well, you're very intelligent for your age." Phoebe remarked as she followed them over to the family room where the TV was.

* * *

"Yeah, she reads a lot of Latin," LJ replied as he turned on the television. "Oh, Donald... _Why_ do you keep going back to Daisy? She's just gonna whine about how you're never there for her, then cheat on you with that smug lucky jerk Gladstone! Just dump her already!"

Phoebe came to sit down with the kids in the family room as dinner was being taken care of.

"But then Daisy's just gonna feel heartbroken and hurt that she's on her own," Felicity rolled her eyes. "Even as a little kid I never really liked Daisy Duck."

"Well, it'd be what she deserves!" LJ replied. "Donald's too darn good for her! He's trying his best, and yet that's _never_ good enough! All she does is criticize when he can't live up to her outrageously high standards!"

The girls agreed with him as they watched the show together.

"Oh, it's so good to see you kids," Moxie smiled at Lionel, Thor, and Cherry. "How about some of my famous gooseberry pie to go with dessert for your dinner, huh?"

"Mom, you didn't bake a pie and bring it with you, did you?" Thor asked.

"I could do that for you," Moxie smiled as she got some oven mitts out. "Please, allow me to help you out in your time of need."

"Aw, Mom..." Thor said, a bit bashfully.

"Thanks, Mox; we really appreciate your help," Lionel replied. "Guess it'll be a team effort!"

"Oh, it's my pleasure," Moxie beamed. "I love you all so much, especially my little Thornton."

Thor smiled bashfully from that as they all got ready to making the final touches to dinner as Moxie began to get her pie ready which was her son's favorite dessert.

* * *

Soon, they were all finished.

"Perfect... Dinner... Is now... Ready..." Thor panted. "Looks like I need to hit the weights after we eat. I'm a little out of shape."

"Maybe a little bit," Cherry smirked as she poked her finger in his arm. "You're as soft as the Pillsbury Doughboy or that film critic, Jay Sherman."

Thor chuckled a bit from getting poked like that as they all came to sit down to dinner before the doorbell went off.

"That must be auntie and uncle now..." Cherry said before she got the door as she mumbled. "Unless Zolten is back from going out for a pack of cigarettes."

"Hiya, little daughter-in-law!" Zolten greeted, sounding nice for once as he was at the door.

"Hello, Zolten," Cherry said. "Nice of you to come."

"Of course I did," Zolten replied. "I love my family after all."

Cherry mumbled a bit from that before the family sat down together to eat their dinner which seemed to go pretty decently so far. So far, everyone seemed to be enjoying their food, and the light conversation seemed to be flowing between the table guests.

"So, son, this really makes you happy, huh?" Zolten asked Thor.

"Yes, it does, Dad," Thor replied. "I've loved Cherry for a long time since I started school in Baxter High School... Lionel came shortly after and I loved him too..." he then took out a wooden spoon. "But if _anybody_ has a problem with it-"

"Relax, son," Zolten told him. "I promise you, I have good intentions on my visit after you, I guess they call it, coming out to me when you were a confused teenager."

"Glad to know that." LJ replied as he got out some paper and crayons and began drawing after he ate.

"I'm hurt that you think I would think otherwise." Zolten said to Cherry, Lionel, and Thor.

The three shared deadpan gazes from that as they continued to spend time with their family when they could, though they liked having Moxie and Phoebe over better, especially after Zolten's outburst from Thor's news from the family dinner they all shared back in high school.

* * *

"Ah, family ties..." Thor sighed to himself with a small smile in present day. "And I get to share it with all of you."

"Like we'd want it any other way!" Lionel exclaimed. "We love ya, and ain't nothin' which could change that!"

Thor beamed happily before he collapsed onto a random couch a bit. "Mm..."

"Get back up here," Cherry told him. "We still have work to do, remember? New neighbors? Where did that couch even come from?"

"I'm the Drama Queen of the family," Thor smirked. "I need a place to crash whenever I feel the need."

"Stand UP!" Cherry told him.

Thor then stood up straight on his feet, a bit nervous from her tone.

"Ah, right. Hopefully Felicity isn't so freaked out by the neighbors once they have their seafood cookout on Friday." Lionel suggested.

"Right." Cherry nodded from that as they got back to what they were doing before they suddenly got interrupted.

Lionel plopped himself down with a grunt into his armchair. Thor gripped the collar of his best suit a bit.

"Still tight on ya?" Cherry asked.

"I just hate this suit sometimes," Thor replied. "I look like a dork in it, even though it's Uncle's favorite suit to wear at his office."

"Fair point," Lionel replied as he poked his head over the edge of the chair.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Arkham, Joker was having a chat with two of his associates, one of which was his new Harley: Marianne Drews.

"It was great to hear from you, boss," said the pudgy man. "Most of the other guys, well, they gave up on you, but I knew you'd come back."

"Of _course_ he'd come back!" Marianne remarked. "He's Mistah J! Like he'd let sumthin' like this slow him down! Puddin', you look great.

"Anyway, I whipped up the lipstick you asked for," said the man as he handed the Joker a small tube. "And Bobby and Mary, they can't wait to help."

"Oh, I also made you these, special filters!" Marianne beamed, handing Joker a pair of noseplugs. "Wear them tonight and only breathe through your nose."

"And all these years I just held my breath." Joker smirked as he grasped the plugs in his clutch.

"Really?" The pudgy man asked softly.

"I could kiss you." Joker told them both.

Marianne giggled with glee at that.


	2. Chapter 2

Meanwhile, in the Batcave, Bruce was busy organizing his weapons when Alfred came in.

"Robin and Batgirl's last classes are about to end," Bruce said. "Go pick them up at school."

"And if Misses Kelley and Gibson have nothing better to do with their evening?" asked Alfred.

"There's nothing better." replied Bruce.

* * *

Speaking of school, Felicity hung around Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos before they would go home as their classes were ending.

"A second coat really makes a difference." Felicity said as she looked at her shiny new nails.

"See? What'd I tell you?" Evie smirked. "I thought you would approve."

Carrie and Michelle nearly bumped into the group.

"Oh! S-Sorry..." Michelle said to them.

"Oh, uh, that's okay," Felicity said bashfully. "I guess I forgot where I was."

"Hey, don't stress," Max replied as she was nearby. "Happens to the best of us."

"Where you been all this time? You're, like, gone." Michelle told Carrie.

"Been busy." Carrie replied.

"You gonna make it to the fairgrounds tomorrow?" asked Michelle. "Opening day? Our tradition?"

Carrie sighed. "It's this night job."

"Details. As in more." Michelle pried.

"Just helping some spud. It'd bore you." Carrie shrugged.

"And there's our ride!" Max pointed out.

A fancy black car was shown as a certain butler stepped out and opened the door for two certain girls. Felicity looked a bit wide-eyed from what she saw while her friends talked in the background, though she didn't pay much attention to them.

"Gotta fly." Carrie told Michelle as she dashed off with Max.

"Hey, Alfred." Max greeted.

Alfred shut the door after the girls as he came to drive them away from the school. Felicity seemed to wander as she felt perplexed before she grunted and yelped, falling on the ground with someone.

"Flick!" Jay gasped. "Hey, you okay, chica?"

"Ugh, I guess so..." Felicity grunted before she saw she fell on a blonde boy which made her gasp and cup her mouth. "Oh, no! Sorry!"

"Oh, uh, that's okay," The boy said before they seemed to get lost in each other's eyes which made them both turn red. "It's... My fault..."

The kids both helped them to their feet as the two were practically stumbling over their words.

"...My name's Chip... How about you?" asked the boy, looking sheepish.

"...Felicity Moltenschwartz." Mal said, since Felicity was having trouble forming words in her mouth at the moment.

Felicity babbled a bit from that.

"I think she says it's good to meet you." Mal smirked at the blonde boy.

"D'oh..." Felicity mumbled.

"Say, aren't you the lunch lady's son?" Carlos asked the blonde boy.

"Uh, yeah," Chip said bashfully. "I'd like to meet some friends, but I'm a little nervous..." he then pouted slightly. "Not to mention some kids make fun of me for being a cafeteria worker in school with my mother and she sometimes embarrasses me when she hugs or kisses me in public."

"Well... Maybe Felicity would like to have you over sometime," Evie replied. "How's that sound?"

"Mommy, my train went swimming in the piano." Felicity babbled.

"She says whatever night you want to come over, it's fine by her." Carlos added.

Felicity cupped her face bashfully.

"Sure," Chip smiled. "I'd have to ask my parents first of course."

"Sure," Jay agreed. "Felicity would love that, wouldn't ya, Flick?"

"The dinosaurs come from _Star Trek_ with magical moonbeams from teardrops." Felicity said before she shook and turned around to hide her face as she turned bright red/pink in her face.

"Yeah, she's in," Mal said. "We'll keep in touch, Chip."

"Right... See you around, Felicity," Chip waved. "A lot of people might think you're a little odd, but... I guess I _like_ odd." he said with a smile before he walked home.

"Earth to Felicity, come in, Felicity," Jay said, making gestures like he was tuning a radio. "Am I getting the correct station this time?"

Felicity shook her head a bit before she made herself dizzy as she stopped. "What'd I miss?" she mumbled a bit.

"Well, a cute boy asked you to hang out and you accepted," Mal smirked. "I believe his name was Christopher Potts?"

"Yeah, but everybody calls him 'Chip'." Evie added.

"I asked out a boy?!" Felicity gasped at herself. "I could not do that! Nope, nope, nope!"

"Of _course_ not! You were too busy talking about swimming piano trains and magic moonbeam teardrops or some nonsense," Jay replied. "So we had to translate for him so nobody thought you were an escapee from a mental hospital!"

Felicity sweat-dropped at herself.

"This is where you say thank you, but no need to thank us." Carlos smirked.

"Thank you?!" Felicity replied.

"You're welcome." Carlos remarked from that.

Felicity cupped her face again. "What am I going to tell my adults?" she asked. "I'm too young to have a boyfriend."

"You're a _teenager_!" Mal replied. "What, you think they expect you to wait until you're old enough to qualify for AARP or something?"

"Oh... Uh... I dunno..." Felicity said softly. "I do have two father figures to worry about of course."

"Flicky has two daddies..." Jay remarked. "Eh, I'm sure you could break them down enough to let Chip come over. They don't baby you a lot, do you?"

"Not too much, though my father says I'm his little girl, even now that I'm almost an adult," Felicity replied. "I guess I just have a lot to think about when it comes to liking boys more than friends like you or Carlos."

"Well, you have plenty of time to figure it out," Jay replied. "You want us to walk home with ya?"

"Huh? Oh, sure..." Felicity gave a small smile.

The other four smiled back as they walked off from school grounds.

"Hmm... Where did Delia and Deidre go?" Audrey asked herself. "They promised to meet me for the Mall after school."

That question would be answered later. Much, much later.

* * *

LJ decided to head home a little earlier, though he stopped by the Fudo house on his way back. Angel and Mo smiled as they hung out by the flower bed, planting some new flowers.

"Oh, hello there, LJ." Mo greeted as she took a look to see the boy as she gardened with her dog.

"Afternoon, Mrs. Fudo." LJ waved.

"Afternoon, LJ," Mo smiled. "Akito should be here pretty soon. I had to have him run a quick errand for me, but knowing him, it'll take about three seconds."

"Alright then." LJ replied as he sat down on the porch to wait.

Mo smiled as she catered to her garden with some of Angel's help.

Akito soon rushed over to the house with a couple of bags of groceries in his hands. "Oh, hey, buddy." he then said as he saw LJ.

"Hi!" LJ waved. "I think my parents are gonna be busy tonight, so you mind if we crash here for the night? I mean, the others should be over in a while."

"Oh, sure, you can sleepover." Akito replied.

"Ahem." Mo cleared her throat a bit with a smirk.

"Oh! Uh... Could they sleepover, Mom?" Akito then asked.

"Of course they can," Mo smiled then. "They're welcome to stay because they will always be welcome here."

LJ grinned, and skipped giddily inside, carrying his bag all the way. Mo smiled as she went back to gardening.

"Your parents busy tonight?" Akito asked LJ as they came into the house together.

"Mm-hmm, working with Mr. Wayne on important clean-up stuff," LJ replied. "Dunno what exactly it is, though, but I guess it's alright."

"That Wayne guy seems pretty mysterious," Akito said. "Almost makes me want to investigate, but Mom's very strict about curfews..." he then said as he rubbed his hands together.

"Well, Mom and Dad and Uncle Thor worked with him when they were younger," LJ replied as he came in and sat on the couch. "And he IS technically my great-uncle."

"Well, it's good that he trusts them," Akito said from that as he took out the remote to click on the TV for them. "Who knows though? Maybe you'll get an adventure from it yourself."

"I suppose I'd like that," LJ replied as he got comfy. "I don't suppose you'd like to come along?"

"Hmm... I'd have to check my schedule, but maybe..." Akito gave a small smile as he quickly put away the groceries. "Adventure is my middle name after all."

"I thought Aunt Mo and Uncle Atticus said it was 'Benjamin'?" LJ smirked playfully.

Akito slanted his eyes a bit. "Ha, ha, ha." he then sarcastically laughed.

"Oh, you know I'm just joshing." LJ chuckled.

"Mm-hmm," Akito rolled his ocean blue eyes. "You're lucky I care about ya."

"And I as well!" LJ grinned at his cousin. "Now these cartoons aren't going to watch themselves."

Akito smiled as they sat down together to watch their cartoons. Mo smiled herself as it felt nice to see the kids bonding with their cousins like this. Soon, Felicity and Zofia also came over as they came to see Estelle and Vincent while Cherry, Lionel, and Thor would be a little too busy to be with their kids for after school.

* * *

Later that day, they were aboard the Batcopter as they were being flown in.

"This is strictly an observation mission for you," Batman told Carrie and Max. "Stay in the copter and do not touch any of the controls. If there's any trouble, just say "boosters." The computer's all voice-controlled. You don't need to understand a thing."

Carrie shrugged. "Figure I wouldn't anyway."

Batman smirked before turning back to his windshield. Down on the building, there were multiple armed people on the rooftop.

"Joker's thought this through. The publicity's brought the cops... And they'll keep me from him." he muttered.

"Well, they can't stop ya if they can't spot ya!" Bat-Mite remarked.

Batman soon arranged the settings on the controls as they hovered over.

"Looks like we're about to change perspective." Catwoman II remarked.

"That a cloak?" Carrie smiled as she glanced out the window to see what she meant by that. "Cool."

And like that, they were invisible in the skies while the gunmen down below were waiting to shoot.

"Commissioner, something's incoming," Someone on the radio reported. "We can't get a lock on it."

"I don't see anything." A gunman replied out of confusion.

"Everything's on auto," Batman said as he got ready to leap out the window. "Touch any of it and you're fired."

"Get it? Got it? Good." Bat-Mite remarked. "Now... Let's get dangerous!"

Batman soon leapt out first, so Bat-Mite, Catwoman II, and Voltage followed after him while Carrie stayed put.

* * *

"Comin' at you, slow and steady." Catwoman II smirked as they fell through the air.

"Keep at it!" The woman in charge told her gunmen. "Do a channel sweep."

The group began to swoop a bit, though Batman was the most noticeable.

"Holy..." A man muttered. "He can fly."

"Not for long. Hit the flood!" The woman commanded from there.

"Remember what I told you after that fight at school after Prom." Batman told Catwoman II.

"How could I forget?" Catwoman II remarked to herself as she knew what to do from there once they got ready to land.

As soon as the group hit the ground, they immediately began fighting off gunmen one by one.

"Batman! You are under arrest!" announced Commissioner Yindel.

"Arrest _this_!" Bat-Mite yelled as he threw some caltrops while Batman threw some pellets to blackout the floodlights and smoke bomb the area.

Catwoman II seemed to mew wildly like a feral cat as she came to lunge out and fight some of the gunmen who tried to shoot her first. Voltage shocked some of the gunmen with his special thunderbolts and electric clouds with a very serious look on his face, even making some of their rifles explode on impact with his bolts. The men didn't stand a chance as the Bat-Family attacked through muscle and strategy.

"Fox, Stokes, rush him!" Yindel commanded.

"Rush him?" One man asked.

"He's twice your age, son," Yindel replied. "Find the nerve."

"Rush _this_!" Bat-Mite exclaimed before he turned into a bull and rammed into him.

"You've messed with the wrong family..." Catwoman II smirked as she fought with ease. "This'll make you all pay... Especially at my Prom Night against that wretch: Prudence Blackwood."

"Never liked her." Voltage added with a devilish smirk as he helped her as he shot out some thunderbolts.

The gunmen yelled out as they couldn't even stand a chance as Yindel glowered at the group.

Bat-Mite's eyes flashed, and the gunmen were blinded by the sudden flash of light. "Now's our chance!" he told the others.

"Whatya say, boys?" Catwoman II smirked. "A great big finish to end all fights?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way, li'l lady!" Voltage replied as he charged up a gigavolt ball.

"Here it comes!" Catwoman II proclaimed as they joined hands for a mega attack together.

"It'll be the shock of your life," Voltage smirked. "I guarantee it."

The two nodded to each other before Catwoman II gave Voltage a kiss on the cheek and he soon imploded with a huge volt to get rid of the gunmen, nearly wiping them away, but of course not maliciously, but it was still a bit of a shocking derail. Fortunately, the gunmen were only dazed and left babbling from the shock.

* * *

Meanwhile, Joker was on the talk show.

"Joker, I'm told you killed 600 people," said Dave the host. "How exactly does your side of that go?"

"Stop right there," The doctor from the asylum defended. "This is a sensitive man and I won't have him being harassed."

"That's all right," Joker assured him as he took the cup of coffee to sip from. "I want people to get me."

"All right, then." Dave then said patiently.

"That's why I'm gonna kill everyone in this room." Joker then said slyly.

Dave looked a bit on edge from that sort of response, but of course, it was sort of expected to go that dark. "Okay. I think that's a little more insight than we had in mind." he then said, trying to keep himself together from fear.

"It's okay, he doesn't really mean that." assured Dr. Wolper. "He's just trying to ease the tension."

"Funny way to go about it." remarked Dave.

"You have to remember, this man isn't responsible for those killings," said Dr. Wolper, spewing utter bullcrap. "He's merely a victim of the Batman's psychotic obsession."

Joker stopped taking a sip from his mug. "I thought I was Batman's psychotic obsession." he stated.

"So you think the Batman's the real sicko here." said Dave.

"Without a doubt. He's an obsessive-compulsive, narcissistic hero-complexed sociopath." Dr. Wolper continued. "I would love a shot at him as a patient."

"Do guests get to keep these?" asked Joker.

"Heh. Sure, you do whatever you want with it. We got a closet full of 'em." Dave replied.

Joker took another long sip, smacked his lips, and then smashed the mug and used it to slash Dr. Wolper across the throat, making him bleed out. Harley-2 clapped and cheered as the audience members got up and removed their outfits, revealing that they were Jokerz, before putting on gas masks.

"Well, so long as you won't miss it..." Joker shrugged casually.

Gas-filled forms resembling children soon shot into the room which made the audience members panic and run about as this was bad. This was very, very bad. The innocent audience members tried to get out the doors, but they seemed to be trapped inside as they couldn't even pound the doors down. The gas hit the people who were soon growing wicked grins on their faces and they began to laugh against their will, as well as external bleeding which seemed fatal as Dave plugged his nose as he tried to find a way out, but he still needed to breathe.

"Breathe, David," Joker advised as he came towards the talk show host with a manic smirk. "Breathe."

Dave tried to fight it, but he soon gave in as he soon fell to the floor while laughing wildly like a hyperactive hyena as he was then hit by the gas next as The Joker was as successful as he was since the retirement/disappearance of Batman.

"Whoo!" Harley-2 applauded. "Best episode ever!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Batman and the others were still fighting off the gunmen.

"We need to get them out of there," Max told Carrie.

"Billy close." she replied, pulling a lever. "Ace the cloak."

At once, the cloaking device deactivated, and the Batcopter was visible as Batman and the others made a break for it. They leapt onto the wheels and hung on tight as they were flown away.

"Batman, land your vehicle now!" ordered one of the chopper pilots.

"Been following on the radio," said Carrie. "It's over. Joker's gone."

"...How many?"

"Don't know. Lots." replied Max.

"You have five seconds to comply." announced the pilot.

"Boosters," ordered Batman, but nothing happened. "Boosters!"

Carrie held up a finger and gave it a try. "...Peel." she said, and the boosters roared to life as they sped up and flew off.

"Head back to the cave." said Batman.

"I'm not fired...?" asked Carrie.

"You're not fired." Batman replied. 

Carrie gave a smile at that. Voltage made a cloud car to follow after the Batcopter before Carrie heard a speaker go off to see that Catwoman II had something to tell her from the cloud car.

"You got lucky," Catwoman II told Carrie as she crossed her arms before showing a small thumb's up. "Nice work."

"Oh, uh, thank you, Miss." Carrie smiled from that, feeling blessed.

"I sure hope the kids are safe indoors." Catwoman II said to the boys.

"You ever think we oughta tell 'em more about what we're doing?" Voltage asked as he drove the wheel.

"Someday, just not right now." Catwoman II told him.

"In a few years, maybe," Bat-Mite nodded. "Maybe when LJ and Zofia are in middle school. Anyways, we've got something even worse than the Return of the Joker to deal with."

"And that would be...?" asked Max.

"New neighbors." Bat-Mite replied.

Catwoman II shuddered slightly from that.

"Aw, come on, Kitty," Voltage told her. "They're not going to kill you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Catwoman II rolled her eyes. "They just better not be obnoxious neighbors like The Kravitz's or The Brady Bunch after they make their mark in our neighborhood."

"I guess we'll see." Bat-Mite replied as they headed back to the Batcave.


	3. Chapter 3

Eventually, Friday afternoon rolled around, and LJ and his friends were walking home from school, supervised by Akito.

"Ahoy there, swabbies," remarked a pudgy-looking boy in a sailor's cap. "Be ye attending Maritime Melvin's Seafood Cookout today at 5:00? Take a flyer, tell your captains, and feel free to come around. My name's Ocean Otis, glad to meet ya. Oy, shiver me timbers..."

"Uh, sure," LJ replied. "You guys feel like coming?"

"I'm getting seasick just looking at this kid..." Sandra scoffed. "Where's the Boat Show, kid?"

"Ugh, it's for my dad's cookout," Otis shrugged. "He says it's to get into the whole ocean vibe. Not my idea, believe me."

"Oh... Right..." Sandra replied. "Uh... I think I have to iron my dog that day."

Akito raised an eyebrow as that sounded like a suspicious excuse.

"Eh, suit yourself," Ichabod replied. "I'll be over at 5:00 with _three_ plates!"

"Guess we have plans for later." LJ replied as they headed to the Moltenschwartz household.

Otis beamed from that.

"I still say that kid's funky," Sandra said. "LJ, I'd be very careful around him if I were you."

"Will do, Big Kahuna," LJ gave a nod with a buzzing noise as he opened the door. "Today on Donald Duck, Jose and Panchito are gonna show up! Three Caballeros, YEAH!"

"Thanks for letting me come too," Akito smiled. "It's so good to see your friends."

"You're pretty interesting, Akito," Sandra smirked. "You're not as annoying as Ich can be sometimes."

"Aw, come on now," Akito replied. "You like your friend."

"Yeah... On odd days and even... Depending on the month." Sandra kept her smirk.

"He's pretty handy in a pinch." LJ replied as he plopped down on the couch while Lionel was asleep in the armchair.

Akito decided to get comfortable as he joined the others for after school cartoons.

Thor looked around as he snuck into the kitchen and reached at the top of the fridge for the cookie jar and opened it only to see it was empty. "MYYYYY SWEEEETS!" he then cried out dramatically.

"Uh-oh..." Zofia said to herself as she read a book in her room.

"Who took my sweets?" Thor growled in a bit of a demonic voice.

"Mm... Mm... Mm..." Cherry said as she walked by. "I just had to get a double chocolate chip fudge cookie. Those were calling my name like gangbusters."

"I can officially tell you I didn't even touch that jar, Uncle." LJ explained, ducking and covering his head.

"Cherry..." Thor called. "Did you touch my sweets?"

"Oh, those sweets are so good," Cherry beamed innocently. "I just felt so grumpy lately, so I thought I'd get myself something nice."

Thor soon had a wide-eyed glare with a firm frown on his face.

"...Uh-oh..." Cherry said.

Eventually, Cherry ran for her life as Thor threw pillows at her while chasing her in the yard while everybody else stayed safe inside the house. Lionel yawned and shifted in his sleep as he mumbled quietly.

"Should we help?" Akito asked.

"Nah, that'll make it worse." LJ said as he closed the curtains of the windows.

The group then sat down together to watch their after school cartoons.

Eventually, Felicity came inside and closed the door. "I saw Mother and Father running around the yard with pillows." she told the others.

"Ignore that." Lionel replied as he yawned.

"Hey, Felicity." Akito greeted.

"Hello, Akito," Felicity replied. "It seems that you and LJ are becoming the best of friends."

"Yeah, we're getting along swimmingly," replied LJ. "Also we met this kid named Otis who's that Halliburton guy's son. He seems... Not very on board with his dad's whole jovial attitude."

"Hmm... I'm not sure myself on what to make on the Halliburtons..." Felicity remarked. "They are a curious case, that's for sure."

"More curious than you might even know." Sandra smirked.

"Don't encourage her paranoia," LJ replied. "She already feels on edge enough as it is."

* * *

Zofia came towards Felicity and the two sisters shared a look with each other.

"New book?" Felicity asked to make conversation.

"Yeah," Zofia said as she took out her book, though her tone was a bit flat due to recent circumstances. "It's called The Librarian. Flynn Carsen is hired by the Metropolitan Public Library as The Librarian. What Flynn does not realize is that the library has existed for centuries and protects a range of historical and often magical items in a secret section of the library, including The Ark of the Covenant, Pandora's box, and Excalibur. When part of the Spear of Destiny is stolen from the library, Flynn must recover it with the help of Nicole Noone."

"That sounds, uh, cool..." Felicity smiled.

"Sure, I suppose so..." Zofia replied. "...I guess you could borrow it sometime if you're not too busy cramming for BLTs or whatever that big school test is called when you get to it."

"SATs," Felicity giggled as she corrected. "But sure, I'd like that, Zo."

"...Okay." Zofia replied, with a small smile.

"Ooh, that Gladstone Gander makes me so mad!" LJ groaned. "Just cuz he's literally born lucky doesn't mean he has to rub it in everyone's faces."

"I don't believe in luck myself," Cherry said as she came into the house while spitting out some feathers. "But I felt unlucky that I took some of Thor's sweets."

"I know I'll have a lot of luck myself," Akito smirked. "I'm gonna grow up to be like Superman."

"Guess I'll be your Jimmy Olsen," LJ shrugged. "If'n that's alright with ya."

"Oh, that'd be sweet!" Akito approved. "But yeah, Gladstone is a pain."

"Is Daisy Duck seriously going with him again over Donald?" Cherry rolled her eyes. "Oh, Donald Duck... If I could, I'd help you out."

"You and me both," LJ sighed. "I wish there was a way to do that, but it probably wouldn't happen."

Cherry gave him a small kiss on the cheek as she came into the kitchen with Thor following after.

"I'd like an adventure myself..." Felicity said. "Seems like these girls at school are having a big adventure themselves."

"Oh? Who would those girls be?" Thor asked.

"I believe their names are Carrie Kelley and Maxine Gibson." Felicity said.

Cherry and Thor both looked wide-eyed from that, but mumbled to themselves to act like they didn't know those two.

"Oh, they must be in her class..." Cherry uttered out.

"Yeah, maybe they share lunches..." Thor added weakly.

"Probably," Lionel replied as he slid in. "But your adventure time will come someday when you least expect it."

"Hmm... I guess you might be right..." Zofia said from that as she read more of her book.

The kids began to look thoughtful as they watched their cartoon.

"Ugh, I hate this Gladstone guy." Sandra complained.

"I know! He's a total jerk!" LJ remarked. "And he never gets his just desserts because of his constant good luck!"

"Too bad we can't do anything about it," Ich sighed. "We're just kids after all."

"Yeah, nobody ever listens to kids." Akito rolled his eyes.

"And that MAKES ME SO MAD!" LJ remarked, actually shooting steam from his ears.

* * *

The adults closed the kitchen door.

"That was close," Cherry said. "I thought Felicity found out about Carrie and Max."

"Chill out," Thor told her. "Felicity's smart, but she doesn't have much of a lead on those two."

"Not yet, at least." Lionel replied.

"Sorry, I guess I got a little paranoid." Cherry said as she took a breath of relief.

"Guess we know where Felicity gets it from." Lionel replied, cracking his neck.

"Hey!" Cherry cried out.

"You do get a little paranoid sometimes." Thor smirked bashfully.

"Nothing personal." replied Lionel.

"Hmm..." Cherry said. "Well, I'm sorry... I'd really like some of Aunt Selina's advice right about now."

"Ever since she started that escort service, she HAS been awful busy." Lionel noted.

"I could really use her to talk to," Cherry sighed. "Thor, you know I love your mother, but--"

"It's okay, Cherry," Thor smiled. "I get it. Selina was very maternal to you before high school graduation before she got her new line of work. I'm sure we can see her some time though. We're family after all."

"Yeah, yeah!" Lionel nodded.

"Aunt Selina was the closest thing I had to a mother," Cherry sighed. "I just feel like I need to see her because honestly? I'm not sure if I'm that good of a mother, aside from juggling responsibilities as Catwoman II."

"Hey, you're doing great," Lionel replied. "And it's high time that you stopped doubting yourself on that! Don't get you nuthin' but trouble!"

"Hmm..." Cherry paused thoughtfully.

"I'll make a special dinner someday," Thor advised. "That'll help cheer you up, I'm sure."

"Well, one thing's for sure," Cherry said. "I feel lucky that I have you two."

"And we're lucky to have _you_!" Lionel and Thor beamed as they both hugged her.

Cherry patted them both on their backs as they shared a heartwarming moment with each other.

"...This is nice." Thor sighed.

"Very..." Cherry replied.

The hug lasted for a while.

"Okay, get off of me," Cherry said, shooing them away. "I better cook something to distract myself from our double lives. I don't know how Bruce and Dick could do this all the time back when we had baby steps through The Justice League."

"Oh, alright." Lionel replied as he and Thor left.

"She's a little stressed out," Thor said to Lionel. "We should do something for her since the kids are behaving a little better these days, especially after Felicity's hiccup from that wild teen house party."

"You're right," Lionel replied. "Though the cookout is in an hour, and what with that big movie thing we're going to on Saturday."

"I guess some fresh air would be good for me." Cherry then said.

"That's good, Cherry!" Thor smiled. "Some endorphins will be good for ya! Now let's stop worrying so we don't end up worrying the kids."

"Fair enough." Cherry agreed as she slowly calmed herself down.

* * *

Eventually, 5:00 PM rolled around, and the Moltenschwartz family headed down the street to the Halliburton house.

"Boy-oh-boy-oh-boy!" LJ exclaimed. "Nothing takes my mind off how unfair things can be with kids like free food!"

"Yeah!" Zofia added. "I hope they have plenty of good stuff to go around!"

"I'm sure they do," Cherry told the kids. "Just remember to be on your best behaviors."

"We will, Mother," Felicity said softly. "I promise this won't end up like when you guys came home to that party."

"It better not be," Cherry advised. "I hate to be firm, but I just want you to see about the consequences of your actions, but it's okay. We all make mistakes..." she then mumbled. "Like me going to meet these people who may or may not be stupidly cheerful all the time."

"Great, you came," Otis replied. "Come aboard, ya scurvy dogs and lasses. Yo-ho-ho."

"Otis!" said his mother, who looked like June Cleaver. "You've got something on your face." she took a spit-soaked hankie and began wiping.

"Agh! Avast! Quit it, Mom!" Otis sighed. "Don't embarrass me in front of them!"

Zofia and Felicity shared glances before they looked back.

"You must be the woman of the house," Cherry said. "I'm that myself... Most of the time..." she then added with a small glance towards Thor who looked bashful in response.

"Well, pleased as punch to meet you!" the woman giggled. "I'm Trudy, and this little man is my son Otis."

Said son was rubbing the wipe off of himself. "We've... Met. Cool to meet you guys, I guess." he replied.

"Salutations there again, Otis," Zofia greeted as they came to the home. "Good to meet you all."

"Oh, what a little sweetheart that one is." Trudy beamed.

"Yes, Zofia was always a bit wise beyond her years," Cherry remarked. "It wouldn't surprise me if she went to college by next Fall."

"College at the age of 10?" Otis asked. "...Whoof, check out the brain on that one."

"Farfetched, but not unattainable." LJ shrugged.

Trudy smiled warmly before she took a hold of Cherry to talk with. Cherry rolled her eyes as she put up with talking to Trudy for a while. Felicity took a look around as she had her hands in her pockets as she tried her best to socialize. LJ and Ichabod took to stuffing their faces at the buffet table that was set up, while a young girl was doing multiple gymnastics in an orange leotard. Zofia wondered what to do before she stepped back as she saw the girl. The girl looked over at her curiously.

"Um, hello," Zofia greeted. "You look like you're having fun."

"Sure am. Name's Gwendy," The girl replied, taking a break. "You must be one of the neighbors."

"Yes, I am," Zofia said. "I guess I'm just wondering what I could do..." she said softly. "I have a good friend who I usually hang out with at her place, but she got too caught up with some... Uh... Let's say... 'Buggy issues' at home..." she then said as she wasn't supposed to talk about her best friend's secret.

"Oh," replied Gwendy. "I guess we could hang out and talk, then."

Zofia looked bashful, but felt thankful for the subject change. Gwendy and Zofia soon walked off together.

"I brought my new book with me, but Mother says I shouldn't read it too much and try to make friends with you or your brother." Zofia said as they began to bond together.

"...Maybe we could read it together?" asked Gwendy.

"Um... All right..." Zofia smiled. "Sorry I'm not as active as you might be. I'm much more of a bookworm than an... Uh... Physical and exercise worm."

"Ah, don't sweat it." Gwendy replied.

Thor took a look around, but smiled as he saw Zofia bonding with another kid around her age group.

* * *

"My, my, my," Trudy giggled to LJ and Ichabod. "Aren't we two hungry guppies?"

"Uh... Sure, sure. The hungriest." LJ replied after he swallowed his mouthful.

"You betcha!" Ichabod added.

"It's good to see some young boys like yourselves with such big appetites." Trudy smiled.

"Yeah, they both have a pretty high metabolism," Cherry replied. "Especially LJ. I think he gets that from his father."

"Could be," Lionel shrugged as he also joined in.

"So, what do you do for a living, dear?" Trudy asked.

"I sometimes write short stories for the paper," Cherry shrugged as she sipped some punch. "My real superpower is my imagination. Also, of course, I look after the kids as much as I can with how crazy the world has gotten since I became an adult myself outside of high school. That place is a real zoo."

"I produce and direct my own series of short films." Lionel stated.

"Oh, that sounds fabulous," Trudy grinned before she looked at Thor. "And how about Muscles over there?"

"Thor is a little in-between jobs at the moment..." Cherry replied as Thor stood by himself, looking a little bored as he didn't know what to do. "His best work though is cooking and baking like a celebrity chef. Maybe we could get him to guest appear on Good Morning, Gotham with Howie Mandel."

"Perhaps," Lionel replied. "Or he could get a food truck of his own... Once things get safer around town."

"You three seem so mysterious," Trudy beamed. "We should meet up together more often! Maybe for a game night like for Scrabble or Trivia?"

"Uh... Maybe..." Cherry shrugged as she forced a grin to appear polite.

"We'll have to check our calendar," Lionel stated. "We do have very busy schedules."

"Hmm... All right..." Trudy replied. "I hope they clear up 'cuz I love your company."

"...Good for you..." Cherry mumbled.

"Be nice..." Thor nudged Cherry a bit with a small smirk. "She's as friendly as my mother."

"They must be from Minnesota or something." Cherry muttered from that.

"Or Wisconsin." added Lionel.

* * *

Felicity stared off to the distance.

"Having fun, Flick?" Thor asked.

"Oh! Um... Yes, Father..." Felicity said softly. "I guess I'm... Thinking about school again..."

"Did you make up with your friends?" Thor asked.

"...Yes." Felicity nodded.

"Then there's nothing to worry about," Thor replied. "I'm gonna go talk with Melville or whatever his name is to see if he caught the latest football game."

Felicity flashed a small grin as she let him go off before she soon started thinking about Chip.

"What's up, Flick?" asked LJ as he took a nearby seat.

"Oh, I'm sorry I haven't been talking much with you guys, I'm just thinking about school." Felicity said softly.

"Alright," LJ replied. "I guess I don't hate ya, so I'm all ears if you feel like talking."

"Well, I'm not sure if you'll understand, but okay," Felicity said before she took a deep breath. "I sorta met this boy when I was on my way out of school with Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos. His name is Chip and he's the lunch lady's son."

"Alright, so you like him." LJ replied.

Felicity looked bashful.

"So, what exactly is the problem?" LJ asked.

"...Finding out how to... I dunno... Spend time with him..." Felicity shrugged. "The others sorta talked me into inviting him over someday to get to know each other a little better."

"Well... That sounds like a neat idea," LJ replied. "You could probably invite him over for a 'study session' and do homework in the kitchen and talk with one another."

Felicity looked bashful. "You think that might help?" she then asked him. "I mean, I'm a little nervous. What if he thinks I'm positively goofy?" she then asked, almost sounding as insecure as Jan Brady.

"Well, if he does like you, he'll accept you for who you are, goofy or not." LJ replied.

"...Maybe..." Felicity sighed. "I've seen that on some movies that Father has sometimes seen, such as Oprah Winfrey hosting the movie marathon. I guess I'm just nervous because I've never felt this way about anybody before."

"Well, then consider yourself fortunate." LJ replied.

"Say, you fancy a girl in your class too, do you not?" Felicity suddenly remembered with a smirk. "Kimmy, right?"

"Kimberly, and yes." LJ replied with a blush.

"Perhaps we could help each other develop our feelings for these two." Felicity offered.

"Alright, sounds good to me." LJ replied.

The two shook hands on that notion.

* * *

"Ah," Cherry said from afar as she saw what they were doing. "It's good to see that those two are getting along again."

"Our family is whole again!" Thor beamed. "So... Who's going to Family Day for Felicity's school?"

"We'll worry about that later," Cherry told him. "I'm sure she'd like _you_ to come though since you're the closest one to her out of her siblings."

"Yeah," Thor admitted. "I guess because, well, I _am_ her father."

"I guess that'd work." Lionel replied.

"I guess I'll take a look at these kids Felicity goes to school with," Thor narrowed his eyes. "If they're hurting my baby though, they'll have to answer to me."

"Ooh, so paternal~" Trudy giggled. "Cherry, your husband is so buff and strong. You must be awfully proud of him."

"Well... That's one word for it..." Cherry replied. "Your... Erm... Husband is interesting too."

"Oh, for sure! Melvin really knows when to take charge," Trudy smiled. "That's why he's the captain of our relationship!"

The trio laughed awkwardly.

* * *

Eventually, everybody else got together to eat, though Felicity thought about Chip again as LJ thought about Kimberly.

"That's quite a book." Gwendy said to Zofia.

"Yes," Zofia smiled. "It becomes really big and adventurous over time once you get to the middle of it. I can't wait for the upcoming sequel: The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines."

"Huh... Sounds pretty wild," Gwendy remarked. "Maybe we could read it once you get it."

"Sure, Gwendy, I'd like that." Zofia smiled as she seemed to find a new friend.

Felicity and LJ didn't seem to really pay much attention as Otis told them a story about the seven seas.

"It's good to see the kids with other kids their own age," Melvin grinned. "This was a great experience, huh, neighbors?"

"Oh, yeah," Thor replied. "Real delightful."

"Well, we're just glad to know that we have plenty of neighbors that we can rely on, in good times AND bad," Melvin replied. "This neighborhood is one big ship, and unless all of the crew is working to keep it shipshape, then it won't be operating at maximum efficiency!"

"Mm... Heheh..." Cherry grinned sheepishly from that. "You must be fans of the movie Down Periscope."

"Oh, that's a good one for sure," Trudy beamed. "Maybe you should come over to watch it with us sometime."

"...Sure... We'll pencil that in some time..." Cherry muttered then.

"Be sure to drop by anytime," Melvin replied as the other neighbors began heading home. "Our door isn't always open, but our doorbell works just fine!"

"Sounds good!" Cherry forced a grin.

"Looking forward to it too!" Melvin beamed.

"Don't be strangers!" Trudy added.

The families waved goodbye to each other as Cherry, Thor, and Lionel shot out breaths of relief once that was over with.

"Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be," Lionel replied. "And you two were worried!"

"Yeah," Thor smiled bashfully. "That was decent."

"I'm glad the kids got to have fun too." Cherry added.

"Well, tomorrow night, we'll get to have our OWN fun!" Lionel smiled.

"Right." Cherry and Thor replied from that.

* * *

Soon, the family came home and they each took a bath or a shower to get bundled down for the night after a big day out together to get to know their new neighbors a little bit better. And for the kids, it was nice having their parents home for the night.

"So you don't have to go out tonight together?" Zofia asked.

"Nope," Cherry replied. "We're all yours for the night."

"Awesome!" LJ exclaimed as they all sat down on the couch.

"How about a little TV, huh?" Thor smiled as he turned on the TV with his remote control as they sat together.

"Sounds nice." Zofia said as she sat by Felicity.

Eventually, Friday night gave way to Saturday morning. Cherry yawned as she woke up first, but of course, the kids would be awake later for cartoons as she decided to make some rounds around the house just to make sure that they were all still okay. Fortunately, all three of the children were sound asleep in their bedrooms. Cherry gave a sigh of relief at that. Cleo came over a bit sleepily.

"Oh, I'm sorry, girl," Cherry told her cat before she brought out some milk for her. "There you go."

Cleo happily lapped up the milk from there.

"You still remind me though," Cherry sighed a bit. "I still have to find a way to touch base with Aunt Selina."

Cleo mewed in agreement before going back to her milk. Cherry petted her before she walked off. She took out her phone to make a call, but she only got voicemail.

"Hey, it's Atticus," Atticus's voice said. "I can't take your call right now, but leave your name and number and I'll call ya back."

"Typical..." Cherry sighed as she hung up the phone then before she stared out into the sky as she wandered away from her home.

Cleo tilted her head in curiosity, confused at this.

"I dunno what I'm going to do, Cleo," Cherry said. "I think I might take a walk though."

Cleo purred and nuzzled up to her mistress from that.

"Hmm... Maybe you should come with me," Cherry suggested. "I should probably just get out of the house for a little while."

Cleo mewed in response as she climbed into Cherry's arms. The both of them then headed out the door. Thor snorted a bit as he turned in bed with Lionel, neither of them noticing that Cherry had left yet. Cherry walked off with Cleo with a lot on their minds as they left the house and neighborhood.

* * *

They walked for a while until they reached their destination. They soon stumbled into a building that grabbed their attention.

"Well, then..." Cherry said as she came to go inside with Cleo.

Cleo hissed and freaked out as she felt something wrong.

"Cleopatra, calm down," Cherry told her cat as they came inside. "I'm sure you'll be fine once we visit who's inside."

They came into the place... Which was known as Kyle Escorts as an older woman was watching her TV while sipping a drink.

Cherry and Cleo caught sight of the woman, who was approached by a familiar-looking clown in a suit.

"Selina..." said the Joker evilly as he put on his lipstick. "I need your help. It's very important."

Selina backed off, but the clown just grabbed her by the cheeks and forcefully kissed her. Cherry's face went green with disgust, and she had to stifle her puke.

"My help..." said Selina, in a dull monotone.

" I made myself pretty for you. You should say thank you." Joker told her.

"Thank you...." Selina replied.

"That's better," Joker replied as he raised her arms, then winced. "The years have not been kind, have they?" he muttered as he rubbed the lipstick off his lips. "Anyhoo, I have a little errand for one of your girls... I think her name's Elsie. She has a date with a congressman tonight?"

But by then, Cherry and Cleo were out of the building before Joker could see them. Cleo glanced up at her owner with frightened eyes.

"That... That Joker..." Cherry stuttered. "H-He's here...?! And trying to move in on Aunt Selina for his sick, twisted Froot Loop demands?!"

Cleo could only nod from that.

"Oh, Cleo, what are we going to do?" Cherry frowned as she held her cat close for comfort.

Cleo pointed homeward with one paw.

"You're right... We have to take that bastard down for good this time," Cherry replied. "We'll get the others and take action!"

Cleo nodded firmly.

"So good that we can be on the same page," Cherry smiled proudly at her cat. "Let's go back home."

Cleo and Cherry then dashed off back at the house. By that point, the others had woken up and were getting ready for the day.


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh, it's such a lovely day," Thor smiled as he looked out the window. "Isn't today rather lovely, my family?"

"You're in a chipper mood." Zofia remarked.

"I'm just so glad and thankful to be alive!" Thor beamed.

"Yeah, same," Lionel replied. "Dunno why, but I have a particularly good feeling about today."

Cherry suddenly burst inside, panting and holding Cleo, whose fur was blown back.

"Whoa," LJ exclaimed. "I've heard of morning jogs, but never morning runs."

"Trouble... With... Aunt... Selina..." Cherry said while panting.

"Cherry, slow down," Thor said as he gave her some water. "Here, drink this."

Cherry panted heavily before she took the glass of water and gulped it down. "Thank you," she then said. "I was out for a walk with Cleo, but we both saw a bit of a startling sight and you'll never guess what happened."

Lionel escorted the kids upstairs, then came back. "What happened?" he asked.

"Yeah, what he said." Thor added.

"Well, I fount Aunt Selina." Cherry said.

"That's great!" Thor beamed at first.

"But then... I saw her with The Joker..." Cherry then said.

"Oh..." Thor's face fell. "That's not-so-great."

"No kidding," Lionel winced. "I shudder at what that butt-fugly clown could want with Ms. Kyle."

"Well, for one thing, he was kissing her." Cherry replied.

"Like Mommy kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe?" Thor grimaced.

Cherry nodded as they all shared a collective groan with immense disgust. "I had to get the word out to you guys," she then said. "Joker's back again and up to no good, I know it. When could we ever trust that Pennywise Guy?"

"About as far as we can throw him," Lionel remarked. "Lucky for us, Bruce needs us this evening for some mission involving him. So it's a right nice chance for payback."

Cherry let out a sickly moan.

"Ooh... That kiss got to you, huh?" Thor asked.

"Yeah, I think I might have lost my appetite..." Cherry said. "...Forever."

"Well, I don't blame you," Lionel replied, tapping her on the head and removing the memory of that moment. "So I say we beat him up real painful-like this time."

Cherry shook her head before she felt confused at first before retaining her focus.

"I guess the plus side is that we don't have to worry about Harley," Thor replied. "Seems like she split from the Joker after the last time we saw them."

"Yeah, I think she's retired now, so she's probably in a nursing home by now," Cherry shrugged. "But we'll keep an eye out for this Killer Klown that I plan to knock into outer-space."

"Well... What if he has a new Harley?" asked Lionel. "Then we'll hafta kick her butt too! This time... The Dark Mite is out for blood!"

"Dark Mite..." Cherry smirked. "Maybe that should be your new name."

"Ooh... You really think so?" asked Lionel. "I wanted something that shows I'm more serious than I was during the days I was just Bat-Mite."

"Well, I like it," Cherry smirked. "Shows how much Bat-Mite has mature since as of late."

"Legends of the Dark-Mite." Thor grinned from that like he was a bit turned on.

"Sweet!" Lionel grinned. "Dark Mite it is!"

"Yeah!" Cherry and Thor both cheered from that.

"Then Dark-Mite, Catwoman II, and Voltage will get to work on this clown," Cherry narrowed her eyes with a dark smirk. "Nothing will get in our way."

"Come Hell or high water!" Lionel proclaimed with a smirk of his own.

"I'd like to boil him in an old cauldron," Thor glared. "Bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble!"

"I thought that was a stereotype?" Cherry smirked.

"It's not when I'm ranting!" Thor glared as he shook his fist.

"Then you may boil what is left behind," Lionel replied. "But you'll be lucky if there's even any!"

* * *

Later that evening, Bruce, Carrie, and Max were watching the news, which was describing Joker's newest killing spree.

"How do you fight someone like that?" Carrie asked.

"Simpler than I've made it," Bruce replied. "There's nothing wrong with Joker that I can't fix... With my hands," he got up and turned on his communicator. "Time to get to work..." he muttered.

* * *

A while after, the group was racing alongside Batman as he and his new wards sped downtown in the Batcycle.

"You've gotten faster." Batman smirked at Catwoman II.

"High school gym class was Hell." Catwoman II smirked back.

They soon made it to Kyle Escorts as Batman kicked the door down.

"This is the place." Catwoman II said before they came inside.

They came to explore, but the place seemed to be in shambles and empty so far with no sight of Selina anywhere.

Voltage opened one of the curtains and saw an empty bed, unmade. "Damn these homemaker urges of mine..." he grumbled as he quickly made up the bed.

Batman came to another curtain, and flung it open. There was Selina, bound and gagged, dressed in a Wonder Woman costume for some reason.

"Selina...!" Batman gasped as he set to work undoing her bonds.

Selina stood up and hugged Batman instantly as she was freed.

"Auntie..." Catwoman II whispered softly.

"...Kitten...?" Selina asked as she took a look at her.

"Yes, it's me..." Catwoman II said before she lowered her mask to show her face. "Don't you recognize me?"

"How could I not recognize my beautiful little girl?" Selina cooed before she also hugged her niece who was now all grown up. "Bruce... Kitten... He's worse than ever..." she then told them, a bit tearfully. "He's using lipstick... Mind control..."

"That would explain why he was here..." Dark Mite noted.

"The police are going to be here soon," Batman told Selina as he wiped her lips off. "Can you walk?"

"I think so..." Selina replied as Max stepped on what looked like cotton candy.

"Boss, found something." Max soon said.

"Cotton candy..." Carrie muttered.

"The fairgrounds..." Batman glared. "Thousands will be there."

"Half our friends will be there!" exclaimed Carrie.

"All the more reason to bring him down permanently." Dark Mite declared.

"Fan out," Batman demanded. "Bring the Wing in close."

"Don't take the girls," Selina warned. "He'll--"

"Don't worry." Batman told her before he gave her a sweet kiss on the lips.

It was a bit of a sweet moment, but of course, it had to be ruined rather quickly.

"On the ground," Yindel glared as she soon arrived with some firing gunmen. "Now."

"Gothy, Dodgeball Martial Arts!" Batman called out.

Catwoman II ducked and dodged the firing bullets, almost like in the movie The Matrix before she jumped high and crashed out the window to escape with the others from the direction she was given.

"Later days, Commish!" Dark Mite exclaimed as he flew off after the others.

The Batwing came around, and Batman, Carrie, and Max clung on. Carrie nearly fell, but Batman caught her, while Catwoman II rode in Voltage's cloud car with him.

"Good soldier," Batman told Carrie as he hugged her tightly. "Good soldier."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the fair, the local boy scout troop was receiving cotton candy from eight people: four girls (two of them were twins), and five males, one of whom was rather hairy.

"Boss, something's coming!" said Bonk. "It's big, it's..."

"It's HIM." Joker grinned.

The Wing was seen flying right over.

"I'd like to kick that clown's ass in the proper upright position." Catwoman II glared as they came in flight.

"He's there," Batman told the others. "Hold tight."

The people in the carnival began to freak out and panic from the grounds.

"Children, do you know why all these people are so upset?" Joker grinned at his young followers before he gestured up to the skies. "That bad man up there."

"Bobby, you know what to do." Harley told the small boy, who pressed his chest button and rocketed into the sky.

"Incoming!" Carrie yelled.

"Wait... Let's it get closer." Batman replied. Just then, the small doll-like creature exploded, blowing up the Batwing and sending the new trio falling to the ground.

"Alright, Harley: you and the Dee Dees take the pipsqueak, Woof and the others take the fat one and the Baby Bat; and I'll handle the bad man." Joker remarked as he took out a gun.

The Jokerz then fanned out to start out their plan as the Dee Dee twins, who looked very different now, almost like clown dolls, as they twirled about while doing cartwheels as they made their exit. Batman soon shot down right in front of the Joker as the other man approached with his gun while the crowd looked frightened. Joker began to shoot, but Batman ducked and dodged before tossing a Batarang which was then missed as well.

"All right, where to start?" Catwoman II asked herself as she walked closer with Voltage.

Just then, they heard jeering laughter as a hyena-human hybrid lunged at Catwoman II. Before he could sink his fangs into her arm, Voltage zapped him, sending him flying backwards into the bumper cars. Bonk and Chucko both tried to lunge at Catwoman II and Voltage by catching them off-guard.

"Oof!" Catwoman II grunted.

"Oh, you wanna play that game?" Voltage glared. "Bring it on, boys."

Bonk and Chucko growled as they came to fight the two. Catwoman II grunted as she got hit a few times before she punched and kicked back before Voltage shot out more thunderbolts from rage. Bonk and Chucko were sent flying into the ring toss.

* * *

Meanwhile, Dark Mite was sneaking around the fairgrounds. "Where _aaaaare_ you...?" he asked. "Come out, come out, wherever you are..."

There was suddenly a kick in his head. Dark Mite growled before he turned around to see who was responsible for that.

"Uh, it was her." One Dee Dee smirked as she pointed to the other beside her.

"...Already you aggravate me." Dark Mite scowled as he blasted the both of them back using a kiai pulse.

"Ah, gee, Puddin'~..." A voice smirked. "That's no way to treat a couple of young ladies."

Dark Mite groaned as he turned to face his next opponent. "Then by all means... Show me." he declared.

The new foe came out, showing herself as an updated Harley Quinn as the original Harley Quinn was long gone.

"Harley?!" Dark Mite asked.

"That's what they call me now~" Marianne giggled.

The Dee Dee twins smirked as they stood beside Marianne with fiendish looks in their eyes.

"Hmph... I don't care what they call you," Dark Mite replied, taking a fighting stance. "I say... Bring it on!"

"Okay! If you say so!" Marianne giggled as she brought out a mallet to bop Dark Mite with.

The Dee Dees surrounded Dark Mite as well as diversions as they put their gymnastic skills to good use. Dark Mite sat down and began to concentrate, dividing into four copies of himself. The first two copies knocked the twins over by using some marbles, and the last two leapfrogged over Harley's head and tripped her up.

* * *

Carrie and Max soon climbed away as they were being followed. Joker ran through the crowd, shooting his gun as Batman followed after him while also dodging the bullets aimed at him. The people screamed and ran around out of fear from the ambush. Joker soon grabbed Carrie's best friend and pointed his gun at her head as a hostage. Batman fired a few Baterangs which soon sliced and cut at the Joker, letting Michelle go free.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Joker glared as one Batarang shot in his eye.

"This... Is for Selina..." Batman scowled. "And for everyone you've ever killed... Every life you've ruined!"

Joker tossed Michelle aside and ran off into the Hall of Mirrors, with the Dark Knight in hot pursuit.

"You want some more lightning bolts? Very well then!" Catwoman II glared. "Get 'em, Voltage!"

Voltage yelled out as he fired more and more lightning and thunderbolts from his magic as he seemed to glow bright with rage and fury. Chucko, Bonk, and Woof found themselves being electrocuted, and they collapsed on the ground, their bodies smelling strongly of cooked meat.

"There!" Voltage glared before smiling at Catwoman II. "That oughta hold 'em off for a while."

"Nicely done, Voltage," Catwoman II told him before looking around. "Guess it's up to Dark Mite, the new Robin and Batgirl, and Batman now."

"Yep," Voltage nodded. "And I can't wait to see how it plays out."

The two shook on it as they walked off on their own. Joker thrashed an incoming man and then threw down the wife of said man before he soon grabbed a young boy who looked terrified of what they all just saw. Dark Mite wandered on his own as the Dee Dee twins kept appearing in random spots as they came back for more.

"Which one is the one you want dead?" One Dee Dee smirked.

"And which one do you want to go free?" The other Dee Dee also smirked.

"...What?" asked Dark Mite, confused.

"You seem lost." Both Dee Dees smirked as they arrived right in front of him.

Marianne came right behind Dark Mite again with her giant mallet as he looked dizzy with confusion.

"Oooogh... You two aren't makin' any sense!" Dark Mite groaned, clutching his head.

As Marianne slammed down the mallet, it split in half on Dark Mite's head, leaving him otherwise unharmed. The Dee Dee twins came beside Marianne.

"Hm... I guess someone's a bit of a hard head, eh?" Marianne complained.

"It pays to be." Dark Mite replied as his eyes flashed, and several coils of rope came to life and wrapped themselves around the three women, tying themselves tightly.

The three yelled out as they were stuck.

"Try getting out of that one!" Voltage called out with a smirk. "Dark Mite, you okay?" he then asked softly.

"I'm fine," Dark Mite replied. "How about you two?"

"We're good," Catwoman II said. "Those mooks are cooked like a couple of geese."

"I think I might've scorched 'em," Voltage smirked. "Also looks like these little ladies are tied up. I guess now we have to worry about The Clownfather."

"Right then; I say we go give Batman an assist," Dark Mite replied. "Pretty sure we ALL want a final crack at the Joker to pay him back."

"Oh, you have no idea," Voltage glared. "He called me a blimp."

"Come on, let's go then." Catwoman II told them as she walked off first.

Batman continued to chase after the Joker, even when the former tried to hold a young boy hostage after beating down his parents.

"Well, I can hear his laughter from here." Catwoman II told the boys as she came to the House of Mirrors.

"Just as nauseating as always..." Dark Mite shivered as they entered.

Catwoman II soon controlled her breathing as they came to sneak up on the Joker based on what she was taught at a younger age. They soon saw bullets firing out and shooting some mirrors, cracking them on impact.

"Here we go." Voltage told the others.

The group ducked down to avoid being hit by the bullets, which eventually ceased firing as Joker slunk around with his hostage.

"You're the Joker, right? Batman's gonna kick your ass." The little boy remarked.

"He's gonna have to go through you first." The Clown Prince of Crime replied.

"Let the boy go, Joker." Batman announced as he was seen in several mirrors, but not in person. 

Joker fired several bullets at some mirrors before he backed up, and that was when Batman leapt out and tackled him before body-slamming him into another mirror. Joker shot at him again, but Batman dodged and punched Joker around before they grappled through another mirror, and Joker was tossed aside. He then fired on Batman as he cackled evilly, managing to knick him in the side.

"Oh, that's bad," The evil clown chuckled. "You should get that looked at when you have a chance!" he shoved one of the mirror walls on Batman, shattering it on his back.

"Batman!" Catwoman II gasped before covering her eyes. "Did he get hit?"

"It's okay... It's okay..." Voltage said as he hugged her close and comforted her.

"You're next, Tiny!" Joker smirked.

"Don't even think about it!" Voltage glared.

Dark Mite threw another Batarang, which sliced off Joker's left arm, freeing his hostage. Joker yelled out in pain as he made a break for it, exiting the Hall of Mirrors and making his way to the Tunnel of Love. Catwoman II shook a bit in Voltage's hold.

"It's okay... Go to a happy place... Find your peace... Relax..." Voltage soothed her.

"No, you're zapping me a little." Catwoman II muffled.

"Oh! Shoot! I'm sorry..." Voltage said before he let go of her as her eyes were wide and her hair stood on end. "...I can fix that."

"Where is he?" Batman growled as he got back on his feet.

"Somewhere that way." Voltage said as he pointed in a random direction.

"Alright, Joker... This time we settle it forever!" Dark Mite growled as he and the others ventured further into the tunnel.

Joker leapt onto a boat, but Batman tipped it over and began to beat the crap out of him.

"Save some for us!" Voltage glared.

"You're starting to scare me," Catwoman II said. "Have you been drinking again?"

"Maybe I have..." Voltage narrowed his eyes as he brought out a beer bottle and drank it down.

"Oh, no..." Catwoman II moaned worriedly.

"I'll pluck every damn green hair from his head," Voltage glared, though he spoke a little slurrily. "Lemme at him!"

"I think I'll go check on Max and Carrie." Catwoman II said nervously as she dashed off.

"No more...!" Dark Mite snapped at Joker. "All the people we've murdered by letting you live... It ends tonight."

"I never kept count." Joker replied.

"I did." Batman snarled as he hoisted Joker by his lapels.

"I know," Joker grinned as he tried to stab Batman. "And I love you for it!"

Voltage furiously charged his hands with electro-energy, then released it all into the water, electrocuting every one of them. Joker managed to get to his feet and make his way towards Batman, wielding a switchblade.

"It's finally here, isn't it? The moment we've both dreamed about!!" he exclaimed, pinning Batman down and trying to stab him. "Oh, don't tell me you're gonna fall asleep before we finish! You _have_ gotten old, haven't you?"

"STOP! MAKING! THIS! SEXUAL!" Dark Mite roared as he broke Joker's leg with an anvil.

Joker grunted a bit before Batman pinned him against the wall. "Not... Quite how I imagined it..." he grunted out weakly.

"How'd you like a mouth full of teeth?" Voltage grumbled.

"Well... We can still end on a high note..." Joker grinned, despite the deathly situation as he stabbed Batman repeatedly.

Batman soon twisted Joker's neck slightly as he threw him at the wall which made the clown fall in the water and bow his head as the startled kids at the Tunnel of Love began to try to escape. "You're in trouble now." he then growled. 

Go ahead," Joker grinned as he still seemed to be alive, despite all of the abuse. "Say this has never happened to you before."

"Shut up." Batman glared.

"Make me," Joker smirked. "Come on, finish me."

"...Gladly." Dark Mite replied.

Joker sighed. "Doesn't matter... I win. I made you lose control," he remarked. "And they'll kill you for it." he cackled. "See you... In Hell."

"WHAT PART OF SHUT UP AND DIE DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!" Dark Mite shouted as he gave the Joker one final punch in the face, which made his neck snap, killing him. "...And good riddance, you bastard," he remarked, spitting on his face. "You, big guy, give 'im one last jolt."

Voltage cracked his neck a bit as he looked fiery-eyed as he stretched himself a bit. "This is for the freedom and happiness of my children... I hope you rot wherever you go, Mr. Joker, because I NEVER WANNA SEE YOUR UGLY MUG EVER AGAIN! Get out of the water, now." he then told Batman and Dark Mite.

The two moved a bit as Voltage looked very furious and enraged as he breathed rapidly after saying what he said. Once they were out of the water, Voltage channeled The Avatar State which made his eyes turn pure white before he charged like a rocket and soon jumped high in the air as his whole body glowed to up to 10,000 volts and he shot right at the Joker with the thunder ball which electrocuted the Joker, frying him like a family of insects that stumbled into a bug zapper. By the time he was done, all that remained of Joker's body was a charred, blackened cinder.

* * *

Batman looked to Dark Mite. "...He _is_ okay, right?" he asked.

"When putting out that much energy while buzzed?" replied Dark Mite. "He either fried it out of his system, or it just made him madder."

"He can walk it off if he doesn't like it, so tough shit." Voltage grumbled as he drank from his beer bottle.

"I thought you didn't like to drink." Batman said to him.

"And I thought you didn't like to kill people," Voltage glared. "Sometimes life is full of broken promises."

"...Well, fair enough," Dark Mite said as he climbed onto Voltage's left shoulder. "Let's find Catwoman II and the others & hit the road before the cops come pokin' round!"

Before either of them could protest, they'd vanished in a BLIPT! of magic.

"Carrie? Max?" Catwoman II lightly called out as she came to find the teenagers. "Oh, I hope they didn't get terribly hurt. Luckily, they seem to be improving since their first recruitment as members of the Bat-Family." she then sighed to herself.

"We're here," Max said as she came over. "Well, here I am. Carrie was right beside me."

"We should get out of here, ASAP," Catwoman II told her. "There's too much chaos and the cops will be here soon."

"Someone call for a hasty exit?" Dark Mite asked as he and the others appeared nearby.

"Great timing, and it's only 9:35 PM," Max replied. "Still, I don't think any of us feels like getting arrested, so let's scram!"

With a nod, they were teleported back to the Batcave after finally finishing off their vile arch-nemesis.

* * *

Thor hiccuped a bit as he removed his mask and sat comfortably.

"You promised not to drink..." Cherry told him. "It changes you..."

"Ah, life ain't always pretty, Doll Face," Thor smirked as he clutched a hand to her cheek. "The sooner ya realize that, the sooner ya don't get hurt in a dog eat dog world, ya hear?"

"Stop it!" Cherry complained. "This isn't the Thor I love!"

Alfred then jabbed a syringe into Thor's arm. "...I find it helped whenever Master Bruce's parents came home a bit... Tipsy," he explained. "Liquefied essence of espresso. Nothing cures tipsiness like a hot coffee and a cold shower."

"Thanks for that, Alf," Lionel replied. "That's why Thor ain't allowed to drink. EVER."

"Ugh..." Thor groaned. "What just happened?"

"Erm..." Cherry shrugged. "You were about to comfort us in our time of need?"

"Oh... Right!" Thor replied as he grabbed both Cherry and Lionel into hugs and kisses before putting them back down. "I love you both so much~"

"We love you too," Lionel replied. "And that's why you are NEVER HAVING BEER AGAIN! We don't need Mr. Hyde comin' out, when Doc Jekyll is good enough."

"I... I had a beer...?" Thor's eyes widened. "No, no, I don't drink alcohol, guys, remember?!"

"Well, you did while we were out," Cherry told him. "Remember, Thor, beer makes you into a jackass."

"I know," Thor groaned. "I must've felt so stressed out from our little mission at the carnival."

"Yeah," Lionel nodded. "You fried Joker's corpse to a crisp, and that was good. But then you were all mean and acting like a jerk, & that was bad."

"I'm sorry," Thor said as he buried his face in his hands. "...I didn't beat any of you, did I?"

"Not this time," Cherry gave a sad smile. "I just don't want you touching alcohol again, whether by stress or depression."

"I'll try to remember that for next time," Thor replied. "I'm glad that killer clown is taken care of though."

"You an' me both." Lionel agreed.

"I'm glad you two are safe too." Cherry said to Carrie and Max.

"Thanks, Miss Cherry," Carrie replied. "I didn't know you cared about others."

"Hey, Batman wouldn't recruit me if he didn't trust me," Cherry reminded. "He's like a father to me."

"Fair point." Max replied.

"Alfred... Bruce... Is he...?" Cherry asked, a bit worriedly.

"Suture." Alfred demanded as he held out his hands.

Carrie looked over and handed the butler a pair of scissors.

"...Is he okay?" Cherry asked as she looked scared for Bruce's life right now.

"He'll live," Alfred told her as he operated. "He's far too stubborn to die."

"I figured," Lionel chuckled. "He always was a tough one. Never the type to go gentle into that good night."

"Are you staying over?" Alfred asked them.

"We might as well," Cherry said. "Just to at least make sure Bruce lives on alright."

Alfred gave a small smile as he knew why Cherry wanted to stay due to the situation as he allowed them to stay as long as they needed to.

"...What about that thing for later?" asked Lionel. "Just asking, is all."

"I dunno," Cherry bit her lip. "...I kinda wanna stay here with Bruce, just to make sure that he pulls through."

"I'm sure he'll be okay," Thor told her. "You shouldn't worry too much. It'll make you sick."

"Or give you a migraine," Lionel added. "Besides... He's been through worse before, and always pulled through."

"Come on, Cherry," Thor smiled as he pulled her into a hug so far that her feet didn't touch the ground. "We'll check again tomorrow. We better get back home right now."

"I guess..." Cherry muffled. "Call me if anything happens, Alfred?"

"I promise that I will, Miss Cherry," Alfred replied. "You better run along back home."

"Will do, Alf." Lionel replied as he snapped his fingers, and teleported everyone home in the blink of an eye.

The three came home to wash off the blood, sweat, and tears of crime-fighting.

* * *

Felicity sat on her bed as she stared out the window, hugging her pillow as she thought about what she saw at school, but also thought about Chip with a lot on her mind.

"You okay, dear?" Thor asked as he passed by.

"I'll be okay," Felicity said softly. "It's nothing. I just need some time alone."

"Well, when you need to talk, you know where to find me," Thor told his daughter, gently hugging her. "My door's always open... Unless I'm busy with your mother or uncle, then you should probably knock."

"Okay," Felicity said softly as she patted him on the back for that hug. "Thank you."

"Of course." Thor smiled before he kissed her forehead as he left the scene.

Soon, Felicity heard a knock on her door, and she answered it; it was Lionel.

"Flick... Your parents and I will be... Out near midnight for something important," Lionel explained. "And... Against my better judgment, I'll give you one final chance to regain my trust and prove you can be responsible."

"Oh, I promise, I'll be a lot better than I was the last time you trusted me," Felicity said, emotionally. "I am so sorry for what I did. It was so stupid, immature, and foolish, I promise that it will never happen again."

"...Very well, then," Lionel replied. "Once again, I'll be counting on you."

"Yes, sir." Felicity replied softly and bravely.

Lionel gave a nod and a smile, hugged his half-niece, then walked off to go get ready. Felicity went back to her own thoughts as she let out a small sigh.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: the following chapter contains a bunch of nonsense

**A/N: Warning: the following chapter contains a bunch of nonsense.**

* * *

Thor did some push-ups to pass the time for himself as Cherry read a book in the corner. Lionel decided to do some more storyboards for his animated shorts.

"What's the story this time?" Thor asked Lionel as he peeked over to take a look.

"Well, Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk are battling across dimensions." Lionel explained.

"Hm... Interesting..." Thor replied. "Anything I can do to help out?"

"Well, if you have any ideas, pitch them." Lionel replied.

"Hmm..." Thor paused thoughtfully. "Have they met like... Alternate versions of themselves from other realities?" he then asked.

"I wasn't sure about that; I was just going with the idea that with each reality they went to, they became the versions of themselves in that reality," Lionel replied. "Although I was considering doing one based on that incident where Poison Ivy and Harley teamed up with Livewire."

"Hmm... Guess you'll use the OG Harley..." Thor then said.

"Did you just say OG?" Cherry deadpanned.

"I've heard a lot of kids nowadays saying it," Thor shrugged. "I guess it means 'original', but yeah."

"Harley Classic, and yes," Lionel replied. "In her own way, she was amusing."

"Anyone know whatever happened to her?" Thor asked.

"She just got tired of The Joker's shit, so she grew up and moved on," Cherry shrugged. "That's pretty much all I can tell you. For all I know, she recruited a gang with some other villains with Poison Ivy and they got married or whatever."

"Those two?" Thor asked. "Married?"

"Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn were always very, erm... Close." Cherry explained.

"Yeah; she was like her best friend," Lionel replied. "That's kinda why I included them in my first short, Movie Mania."

"Good touch," Thor smiled a bit. "I can't wait to watch a preview of it. Uh, that is, if we're allowed to."

"Of course we will be," Cherry smirked as she playfully punched his arm. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"Eh, I dunno," Thor shrugged. "Just thinking too much, I guess."

"Speaking of previews, we'd best finish getting ready for that midnight screening thing," Lionel replied. "If you guys are going in costumes, I feel like I should as well, but which one, I wonder?"

"Hmm... All right..." Cherry said before she hopped up to her feet. "How do you feel about wearing a corset, a pearl necklace, fishnet stockings, and high-heeled shoes?" she then asked with a small smirk.

"I doubt I'd be able to pull that off..." Lionel replied.

"That's what I thought," Cherry said before she took out her phone to show a photograph of the handyman costume from the midnight movie. "How about Riff-Raff? You'll get to be with me since I'm Magenta, the domestic French maid."

"That might suit you." Thor nudged Lionel a bit eagerly with a smile.

"Well... Alright!" Lionel replied. "That's fine by me."

"Okay, good," Thor smiled. "I hope it's somewhat alright with you."

"Should be, excuse me a minute." Cherry told the boys as she went to go change as it was closer to time to go.

Thor soon walked off to get himself in a motorbike dude outfit as he was going to be Eddie because he thought that character and outfit suited him the best for the characters of the movie. Lionel wiggled his fingers and zapped himself into the costume from what was shown in the picture. Eventually, the three met up together and shared a quick laugh before they took a group picture.

"So, people are basically yelling and throwing stuff at the screen?" Lionel asked.

"Yes." Cherry and Thor replied.

"I know it's strange, but it's just a tradition that's been going on since the 1970's." Cherry said.

"Yeah, you might meet strange characters in line just as well as in the theater." Thor added.

Lionel shrugged. "Okay." he replied as they went out to the car.

* * *

They soon got comfortable in the car and they soon drove off to have a rather crazy night, even compared to tangling with the Joker who had really gone out of it more than usual. Some people were already there, lining up themselves as a man yelled out with a tube of lipstick, going to mark people's foreheads with the letter V since it would be their first time at a midnight showing for Rocky Horror.

"Hopefully this is better than last week when they cancelled the show and decided to show Priscilla: Queen of the Desert instead." Cherry rolled her eyes.

"That was so brutal," Thor scoffed. "Then we had that dance-off to Time Warp and Shake Your Groove Thing."

"Sounds pretty bizarre," Lionel replied. "Even moreso than usual!"

"Oh, it was one for the books," Thor said. "Luckily we got away before the cops could show up."

"I just hope you're alright with all of this," Cherry added. "It's a bit of a peculiar experience for a peculiar movie. I plan on inviting Felicity over to one someday once she's old enough."

"Ah, it's okay." Lionel replied.

They soon waited in the line which didn't move as the theater wasn't open just yet.

* * *

Eventually, the doors bust open which made the people rush inside to get their tickets and some bought bags that had playing cards, pieces of toast, toilet paper, dried-up rice, a bag of Skittles, and some folded up newspapers.

"Okay, I'll cue you when those happen," Cherry told Lionel. "It's a bit sudden with how the movie flows, just so you know."

"Alright." Lionel nodded as they got their stuff and entered the theater.

They came to find a seat as they sat among the other people in the theater. Some people were in costume, some were not, but they were all there for the same reason. Cherry and Thor called out to some people who talked to them, sharing some inside jokes before they would start the movie.

"I just hope it doesn't get too loud for you," Cherry said to Lionel. "I've adapted to people yelling out during the movie. I just may say some things that might not be appropriate for our children."

"Thanks for the warning," Lionel replied. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Okay, good," Cherry said. "We should be good to go as the clock strikes midnight then."

"I'll take this time to now open candy or lozenges..." Thor added before he unwrapped a chocolate bar and bit into it with a happy moan. "Food of the gods~..."

Lionel settled into his chair as the movie was about to begin. The lights soon dimmed as the fanfare of 20th Century Fox soon played to start the movie. A spotlight shined down as a girl stepped out on the movie stage in her underwear during the first song that was Science-Fiction Double Feature with a pair of red lips singing with some audience members using their own words at the song and some gave the young woman some money for her strip tease.

"Okay... So far, kinda confused, but otherwise okay." Lionel nodded as he kept watching.

"It's all just part of the show." Cherry replied.

* * *

Eventually, the girl left with her money as the first song came to a closing and they soon heard The Wedding March as the church scene came into play.

"Rice." Cherry signaled Lionel as she and Thor got their bags ready to toss rice with the rest of the crowd.

Lionel took a few handfuls out. The rice soon flew through the air as the wedding scene played out before the main stars of the movie, Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, came out which had their own nicknames from the Rocky Horror fan community.

"Asshole! Slut! Asshole! Slut!" The audience yelled and laughed at Brad and Janet.

"Get used to that." Thor nudged Lionel as that was perfectly normal.

"Sure, sure." Lionel replied.

The song "Dammit, Janet" soon began as Brad sang his heart out to Janet while the audience just made fun of them. Cherry gagged a bit due to how sickly sweet the song was, with or without the audience participation.

"Jeez, I've seen candy bars that weren't as tooth rotting as this cornball tune..." Lionel remarked.

Cherry and Thor chuckled from that. Eventually, the song ended, thankfully enough before we are shown an old man who seemed to be as dull as a college professor, but he was always the butt of everybody's jokes in a Rocky Horror midnight screening.

"I would like to--"

"OH, YOU WOULD, WOULD YOU?!"

"If I may--"

"YOU MAY NOT!"

"To take you--"

"TAKE ME! TAKE ME!"

"On a strange journey."

"HOW STRANGE WAS IT?! SO STRANGE, THEY MADE A MOVIE ABOUT IT!"

"Yeah, The Criminologist gets a lot of abuse here." Thor smirked.

"Ah, I gotcha." Lionel nodded.

Eventually, the next scene came with Brad and Janet on the road on a dark and rainy night.

"Nanananannannananana... ASSHOLE!" Cherry hummed and called out as Brad drove the car, making a little inside joke.

Lionel snickered at that.

"I thought you'd like that little joke." Cherry replied.

"I did, thanks," Lionel replied. "Looks like they should have brought their galoshes... Or water wings."

"Better than that." Thor said as he took out the newspaper.

Eventually, everyone else in the audience wore a newspaper on their heads like Janet in the movie as the song "Over at the Frankenstein Place" began to play. Some people took out their phones or lighters to go with "the light" part of the song as the young couple made their way over to the castle.

"I have a feeling that here's where things get going, narrative-wise..." Lionel observed.

"Pretty much, yeah." Cherry nodded.

* * *

Eventually, Brad and Janet made it to the castle as the audience made snide comments among each other before Riff-Raff came to the door to let them into the castle as Magenta slid down the banister which began to make the grandfather clock bong a few times before it opened to show a skeleton. The audience began to stand up from their seats as it was time for a very special tradition.

"If you get tired, you can sit down," Cherry told Lionel. "This dance takes a lot out of you."

"Got it." Lionel nodded.

Eventually, the song began.

"It's astounding... Time is fleeting... Madness, takes its toll..." Thor began. "But listen closely."

"Not for very much longer!" Cherry added.

"I've got to... Keep control..." Thor said before he flailed a bit. "I REMEMBER! Doin' the Time Warp... Drinking! Those moments when... The blackness would hit me..."

"And the void would be calling!" Cherry and Thor called out together as they did a special gesture with their elbows like Magenta and Riff-Raff in the movie.

"LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!" The audience sang along. "LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!"

Jan 9Lionel looked on and did his best to keep up with the audience's motions.

Jan 9Of course, there was some difficulty as he was a first-timer, but luckily, the movie told the audience how to do The Time Warp like he was giving a lesson.

"It's so dreamy, So fantasy free me, So you can't see me, no not at all~," Cherry sang as she leaned closer towards Lionel. "In another dimension, With voyeuristic intension, Well secluded, I'll see all~"

"With a bit of a mind flip~" Thor added from the other side.

"You're into the time slip~"

"And nothing will ever be the same~"

"You're spaced out on sensation~"

"Like you're under sedation!~"

Lionel's eyes spun so quickly inside his skull that he had to grab hold of them to make them stop. The Time Warp soon continued before the tap-dancing groupie sang her part and she did a tap solo. Columbia in the movie soon tripped and they all had to continue before the song ended with one last "Let's Do the Time Warp again" and everybody soon fell and collapsed into their chairs with laughter.

"Well...That was definitely... Invigorating..." Lionel sighed as he wiped some sweat off his head.

"Yeah, it's a pretty big work-out, especially in front of a crowd." Cherry replied.

"So I've noticed..." Lionel replied as he took a drink from his cup.

The movie was quiet for a few moments before a thumping came from the movie as the audience clapped along to the beat.

"Ooh, here it comes~..." Thor wiggled in his seat a bit. "The real star of the movie~..."

Lionel looked at him, curious. "Yeah?"

"Mm-hmm~" Thor smirked.

Janet soon screamed on screen as the elevator opened up to show a cloaked figure with a heavily made-up face.

"Thor, it's your mother." Cherry teased.

"Why, you--!" Thor gasped playfully.

"...Who is that?" asked Lionel, scratching his head.

"That's Dr. Frank-N-Furter," Thor replied. "He's a sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania."

Lionel blinked a few times, before turning his attention back to the screen. "...Well, alrighty then. That left more questions than answers, but at least it cleared up a little." he said to himself.

Frank soon sang his song which was exactly how Thor described him. A lot of fangirls and fanboys in the audience gushed over Frank, but that mostly came with being played by a very young and attractive Tim Curry.

"I'll say this much: he looks alright in that get-up." Lionel replied.

Cherry and Thor nodded to that.

* * *

Soon, there were more snide comments and yelling of "Asshole!" and "Slut!" as the movie was going to the part of Frank's lab where they would then meet the titular Rocky Horror who was like Frankenstein's monster.

"Okay... So there is a Rocky here..." Lionel said. "And here I thought the title was just a random jumble of words!"

"Yeah, he's why the movie is called 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'." Cherry educated.

"Didn't expect to learn so much," Lionel remarked. "And yet... I'm alright with it!"

Eventually, the screen had flashing lights with the creation of Rocky. Rocky was then born and soon came out of the tank with slight comments from the audience before a new song came on. Rocky was currently being chased by Frank as he sang a song called "The Sword of Damocles" which was rather short. Frank caught Rocky and scolded him before showing him off to everybody, especially to Brad and Janet before he shared a new song.

"This song always makes me cringe for some reason." Cherry advised Lionel as the song came on which was called "I Can Make You a Man".

"I wonder why...." Lionel replied, pondering. "Melody? Lyrics? Tempo?"

Cherry shuddered a bit from the song.

"I'll still be the Rocky to your Frank." Thor smirked as he flexed his arm.

"Whatever." Cherry just rolled her eyes.

"Well... At least Tim Curry can say his acting career had an interesting start." Lionel remarked.

"Oh, for sure." Cherry replied.

* * *

Eventually, the song ended which made Columbia squeal and a door came open.

"That's a freezer door." Thor told Lionel.

The door soon came down as the biker that Thor was dressed as came riding out the freezer door on his motorcycle.

"EDDIE!" Columbia squeaked once she saw who it was.

"Hey, that's the guy _you're_ dressed as!" Lionel remarked. "You look so tough in that biker get-up~"

"Ah, you really think so?" Thor gushed. "I bet you're just sayin' that~"

"That doesn't mean it's not true!" Lionel replied.

Thor chuckled a bit before he sang along to the song with Eddie on the screen. "Whatever happened to Saturday night?, When you dressed up sharp and you felt alright, It don't seem the same since cosmic light, Came into my life, I thought I was divine~," he began to sing while hopping up on the stage as the spotlight shined down on him and he copied the movie Eddie's movements. "I used to go for a ride with a chick who'd go, And listen to the music on the radio, A saxophone was blowing on a rock and roll show, We climbed in the back seat, really had a good time, Hot patootie, bless my soul, Really love that rock and roll~"

"Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll~" The audience began to chorus with him.

"Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll, Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll~" Thor sang before he made a saxophone appear out of magic as he began to play it.

"Aw, yeah!" Lionel whooped. "Au-au-auoooooh, yeah!"

"MEAT! LOAF! KICKS! ASS!" The audience chanted.

"My head used to swim from the perfume I smelled, My hands kinda fumbled with her white plastic belt, I'd taste her baby pink lipstick and that's when I'd melt, She'd whisper in my ear tonight she really was mine~," Thor soon sang as he knelt in front of Lionel with his hands out. "Get back in front and put some hair oil on, Buddy Holly was singing his very last song, With your arms, around your girl, you try to sing along, It felt pretty good, WOO! Really had a good time~"

Lionel blushed. "Oh, you rascal!~" he chuckled.

Thor smiled as he soon took Lionel in his hands as he tossed the latter up and down in the air like Eddie did with Columbia in the movie as he sang the song. "Hot patootie, bless my soul, Really love that rock and roll~," he then sang along again. "Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll, Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll, Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll~" he then set him down before he played his saxophone yet again.

Lionel was left giggling giddily. "Wow, this is _really_ fun!" he exclaimed.

"Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll, Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll~" Thor soon sang a bit as he ran around the stage as Eddie rode his motorcycle around. "Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll, Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll, Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll, Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll, Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll, Hot patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll~"

Someone dressed as Frank in his lab smock soon came out with a plastic ice-pick and began to stab Thor playfully as he began to act and play dead as the actual Frank killed Eddie in the freezer while Columbia screamed and cried for him.

"Alas, poor Eddie, I knew him well!" Lionel exclaimed, cradling Thor's body as if it were a corpse.

Thor then let himself get dragged away a bit. Frank soon brought Rocky out of the elevator before he sang a reprise of his I Can Make You a Man song before they would retire to bed together.

"That reprise isn't as cringey." Cherry remarked.

Lionel shrugged to that, and kept on watching the film play.

Jan 9"I'm a muscle fa-a-a-an~" Janet sang which made everybody look at her.

Brad looked aghast at what his so-called true love said.

"Aw... Poor Brad..." Cherry whispered.

"There are those who say that life is an illusion, and that reality is but a figment of the imagination," The Criminologist soon narrated. "If this is so, then Brad and Janet are quite safe... However, the sudden departure of their host and his creation into the seclusion of his somber bridal suite had left them feeling both apprehensive and uneasy, a feeling which grew as the other guests departed, and they were shown to their separate rooms."

The movie then shows Brad and Janet being forced into their own rooms with robes, blue for Brad and pink for Janet.

"Y'know, I get the feelin' that Ol' Frankie-boy has some screwy plan cooked up for those two." Lionel remarked as he ate his chili dog.

"You would be right." Thor replied.

* * *

And so, Brad came to see Janet in her bed as he began to cuddle and smother her before it was soon revealed that he was actually Frank in disguise and began to take advantage of the "heroine's" weakness as they slept together briefly. Right after that, Riff-Raff soon grabbed a candelabra to scare away Rocky as the audience chanted "elbow sex" over and over again.

"Elbow sex?" Lionel asked, confused.

Cherry and Thor pointed at the screen as Riff-Raff and Magenta did a special gesture with their elbows before lowering them as Riff-Raff hugged Magenta and gave her a hickey right on the neck which made her squeal and grin with deep arousal.

"Ohhhhh..." Lionel replied before taking more notes. "Very interesting..."

"Yeah, no one's exactly sure what that sign means, but according to the Rocky Horror creator, Richard O'Brien, that's called The Transylvanian Sign," Cherry said to Lionel. "It's how, uh, 'their people' express their affections with their soulmates."

Thor nodded to that as Janet soon came to see Brad and they shared a cuddle in bed together before Janet was revealed to be Frank.

"Boy, that'll put a jolt in your morning, eh?" Lionel remarked. "Guess the asshole swings both ways."

"Tim Curry says in interviews that Frank is pansexual." Cherry replied.

"Ah... Very interesting." Lionel nodded.

"Master... Rocky has wandered from his chambers... Magenta has just released the dogs..." Riff-Raff said on a screen, interrupting Frank which made some of the audience woof like dogs.

"Coming!" Frank called out as he sexually devoured Brad.

"So's Brad!" Some of the audience replied.

"What's happening here?" Janet cried emotionally. "Where's Brad? Where's anybody?!"

"Can it, Janet!" Cherry called out.

Lionel snorted as he continued to watch. Janet soon came to the monitor to see that Brad smoked a cigarette after sleeping with Frank which made her feel betrayed that she had been cheated on... Even though she gave into the exact same temptation moments ago.

"Oh, it gets better." Thor told Lionel from Janet's depression which seemed a bit hypocritical.

"Okay then... Let's see." Lionel replied

"Oh, Brad, oh, Brad, how could you?" Janet cried at the sight.

There was soon some growling and whining heard from the tank, so Janet came over toward it and removed the blanket to see that Rocky was inside before he sat up and smiled at her.

"Oh, but you're hurt," Janet cooed before she saw some scars on him. "Did they do this to you?"

Rocky simply nodded to her.

"Nah, I did it to myself." Thor quoted.

"Here, I'll dress your wounds... Baby, there..." Janet cooed as she ripped some fabric off of her skirt to cater to Rocky before she began to feel a strange sensation.

"Emotion, agitation or disturbance of the mind... Vehement or excited mental state," The Criminologist narrated as Janet looked back and forth towards Rocky before she smiled eagerly. "It is also a powerful and irrational master and from what Magenta and Columbia eagerly viewed on their television monitor there seemed little doubt that Janet was, indeed... Its slave."

"Tell us about it, Janet~" Magenta and Columbia smirked as they watched on their TV as they both appeared to be in pajamas.

"Whoo..." Lionel kept on watching.

Janet soon sang to Rocky before she appeared to seduce him and eventually slept with him.

"Yes, you just saw that," Cherry told Lionel. "Janet sleeps with Frank before Brad does and gets sad at him for doing the same thing, but as payback, Janet sleeps with Rocky."

"Jeez... No _wonder_ they called her a slut..." Lionel remarked.

"Yep!" Cherry replied.

* * *

Riff-Raff soon grunted out as Frank began to whip him as they came up the elevator.

"This is going to be really interesting." Thor said as it was time for Dr. Scott to come into the movie.

"Oh, boy-oh-boy-oh-boy!" Lionel exclaimed quietly as things seemed to be ramping up even further.

"How did it happen?" Frank glared. "I understood you were to be watching!"

"I was only away for a minute... Master." Riff-Raff replied.

"Fucking his lover." Cherry coughed.

"Well, see if you can find him on the monitor." Frank smirked before he gave a couple of more lashes from that.

Riff-Raff stumbled over to the monitor as Brad watched what was going on before someone was shown outside of the castle in the rain. "Master, Master... We have a visitor." he then said.

"Hey, Scotty!" Brad laughed as he took a look at who it was as he and Frank came over before he got odd stares. "...Dr. Everett Scott."

"You know this Earthling--" Riff-Raff asked before Frank nudged him. "...Person?"

"I most certainly do!" Brad replied. "He happens to be an old friend of mine."

"I see," Frank smirked as he lit up a cigarette. "So this wasn't simply a chance meeting. You came here--"

"ON A PORPOISE!" The audience yelled out.

"I told you, my car broke down," Brad pouted. "I was telling the truth."

"I know what you told me, but this Dr. Everett Scott, his name is not unknown to me." Frank replied.

"He was a science teacher at Denton High School." Brad replied.

"And now he works for your government, doesn't he, Brad?" Frank interrogated before he pushed away Brad to the floor. "He's attached to the bureau of investigation of that which you call UFOs! Isn't that right, Brad?"

"He might be," Brad shivered a bit. "I don't know."

"Getting serious... Eh, don't get used to it." Thor told Lionel.

"Believe me, I'm not." Lionel replied.

"The intruder is entering the building, Master." Riff-Raff reported.

Frank looked over, very concerned before he had wide eyes. "He'll probably be... In the Zen room!"

Dr. Scott was shown to be in a room that had a lot of cigarettes with 1960's hippie music playing in the background.

"Shall we inquire of him in person?" Frank soon suggested as he brought out a magnet to force the wheelchair into his laboratory.

"I invented the callback for this incoming scene." Cherry smirked, a bit proud of herself.

"Hm?" Lionel asked, raising an eyebrow in a quizzical expression.

Dr. Scott was moved all around due to the force of the magnet before the wall bust down to the lab with him.

"GREAT SCOTT!" Brad cried out as people tossed their toilet paper.

"Wrong movie, Asshole!" Cherry called out.

"Not to mention 10 years early!" Lionel added.

Dr. Scott was soon moved right in front of the sweet transvestite. "Frank-N-Furter, we meet at last." he then greeted.

"Dr. Scott!" Brad beamed as he held out his hand.

"Brad! What are you doing here?" Dr. Scott asked as he shook hands with the younger man.

"Don't play games, Dr. Scott," Frank smirked. "You know perfectly well what Brad Majors is doing here. It was part of your plan, was it not? That he and his female should check the layout for you. Well, unfortunately for you, all the plans are to be changed. I am adaptable, Dr. Scott; I know Brad is."

"I can assure you that Brad's presence here comes as a complete surprise to me," Dr. Scott then said. "I came here to find Eddie."

"Eddie!" Brad soon said as he remembered that name. "I've seen him! He--"

"Eddie! What do you know of Eddie, Dr. Scott?" Frank then asked as he interrupted Brad.

"I happen to know a great deal about a lot of things," Dr. Scott replied, almost like this was a soap opera right now. "You see Eddie happens to be my nephew."

"Well, that IS unfortunate," Lionel remarked.

"Dum... Dum... Dum!" Thor said dramatically.

Frank soon came to the tank to uncover Rocky and Janet.

"Janet!" Dr. Scott called out.

"Dr. Scott!" Janet gasped in surprise.

"Rocky Rolle Call!" Cherry and Thor called out which had the characters saying each other's names for about three times.

"BULLWINKLE!" The audience called out as Rocky couldn't speak for his turn.

"BORIS! NATASHA!" Lionel snickered.

"Listen," Frank spoke up firmly to Rocky as the audience copied him, though using a certain moose's voice. "I made you and I can break you just as easily!"

Thor soon took a hold of Lionel to cover his ears as a loud gong noise was heard on screen as Magenta appeared.

"Master, dinner is prepared!" Magenta proclaimed as she posed dramatically.

"Excellent..." Frank said softly as Magenta looked somewhat disappointed that she was unable to scare Frank from her sudden appearance. "Under the circumstances, formal dress is to be optional." he then told the others as he glanced at the naked Rocky and Janet.

"Toga! Toga! Toga!" The audience jeered.

"I wonder what they did with the corpses..." Lionel murmured.

Cherry and Thor shared a glance with each other.

"Food has always played a vital role in life's rituals," The Criminologist soon said with a picture of The Last Supper in his book. "The breaking of the bread, the last meal of the condemned man, and now, this meal. However informal it might appear, you can be sure that there was to be very little... Bon ami."

* * *

We are shown the dining room of the movie as Riff-Raff and Magenta came out to serve the food which appeared to be some sort of turkey meat, at least that's what those who didn't know thought it was before Frank was given an electric knife and began to cut the meat to serve to everyone while Riff-Raff poured wine for everybody at the table. After the meat was cut to slices for Magenta to serve, Frank raised a glass at the head of the table.

"A toast... To absent friends..." Frank began as people threw their pieces of toast all around.

"To absent friends." Everybody else repeated as they took a sip of their drinks.

"And Rocky," Frank said before he took out a party hat to wear as he sang to his creation. "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Rocky~..."

Janet sang along as well, only to be stopped as Frank sat down.

"Shall we?" Frank asked, cutting her off from her singing.

"Should we tell him?" Thor asked Cherry.

"Eh, he'll figure it out eventually." Cherry replied.

Lionel kept on watching, curious.

"We came here to discuss Eddie." Dr. Scott soon said.

"Eddie?!" Columbia squealed.

Frank glared as he pointed his knife sharply at her to keep her quiet before he smirked and went back to eating his dinner. "That's a rather tender subject," he then said. "Another slice anyone?"

That seemed to hit everybody at the table as they thought about what they were eating, though Rocky didn't seem to mind or care.

"Excuse me..." Columbia said as she decided to leave the table.

Cherry and Thor waited to see how Lionel would react. All of a sudden, it hit Lionel like a bolt from the sky, and his eyes widened in shocked realization. Cherry and Thor both winced from that. Columbia let out a horrified shriek before she began to cry for the loss of Eddie.

"I knew he was in with a bad crowd, but it was worse than I imagined..." Dr. Scott said to the camera before turning at Rocky. "Aliens!"

"Ugh?!" Rocky grunted with his mouth full.

"Dr. Scott!" Brad and Janet gasped.

"Go on, Dr. Scott," Frank glared. "Or should I say Dr. _Von_ Scott?"

"Just what exactly are you implying?" Brad glared towards him as he stomped his fist on the table.

"That he's a Nazi, asshole!" An audience member called out.

"It's all right!" Dr. Scott told his former student.

"But Dr. Scott!"

"That's all right, Brad!"

By now, Lionel's skin had taken on an oddly green palor, as he wobbled in his seat. He then put his head into a bag and emptied the contents of his stomach inside.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Cherry asked Lionel. "Maybe we should go back home."

"N-No, I'm fine..." Lionel said as he wiped his mouth off. "That just caught me by surprise, is all. Besides, I don't wanna ruin you guys' good time. You two are really enjoying yourself... And I guess this movie is alright."

"Well, all right," Cherry said. "I'm glad you decided to come see what we like to do without you sometimes."

"Yeah, it's great to have you along." Thor added as Dr. Scott soon sang a song about how Eddie hated his teddy bear as a child.

"Thanks... It's nice to be included sometimes." Lionel beamed as they watched the song.

"Who's this song about?" asked Thor.

"Eddie." said the voices on-screen as the song ended.

"Ah!" Magenta exclaimed.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I fucking hate celery!" Lionel spoke up as Frank reached forward and seized the tablecloth. 

Pulling it away, it revealed a glass coffin containing Eddie's decomposing remains. Janet ran off-screen, screaming, as Dr. Scott pushed his chair back in disgust.

"Well, you know what they say: reduce, re-use, recycle!" Lionel exclaimed with a wink.

Then, Janet ran back into the scene and threw herself into Rocky's arms, still screaming. Frank got up, and removed his hat.

"Oh, Rocky! How could you!" he exclaimed.

"Chase scene time!" Cherry called out as she hummed the Benny Hill theme.

Frank slapped Janet who soon screamed and he chased after her. Brad grabbed Dr. Scott's wheelchair bars as they rushed over to the elevator. Riff-Raff and Magenta laughed together for a moment.

"SHUT UP!" Riff-Raff soon glared as Magenta's laughter died out.

* * *

"I'll tell you once; I won't tell you twice, You'd better wise up, Janet Weiss, Your apple pie don't taste too nice, You'd better wise up, Janet Weiss~," Frank sang as he chased after Janet right back into his lab. "I've laid the seed; it should be all you need, You're as sensual as a pencil, wound up like an E or first string, When we made it, didja hear a bell ring?~"

The people in the audience shook their car keys from that question.

"Ring-a-ding-ding," Lionel remarked as Janet ran into the scene, followed by Frank.

"You've got a block, well, take my advice; you'd better wise up, Janet Weiss!~" Frank sang, as Janet tripped and fell at the top of the ramp. Brad pulled Dr. Scott out of the elevator, and they moved to Janet. "The Transducer... Will seduce you~" he crooned as he pressed the lever down.

Janet pulled at her feet, but she couldn't move them. "My feet, I can't move my feet!" she exclaimed.

"My shoes, I can't move my cheap white shoes!" one guy called out.

"My vheels!" Dr. Scott cried out. "Oh, God, I can't move my vheels!"

"My socks!" Cherry called out. "I can't move my socks!"

"It's as if we're glued to the spot!" Brad glared dramatically.

"You are!" Frank replied. "So quake with fear, you tiny fools!"

"We're trapped!" Janet cried in dismay as she put her hand to her head.

"It's something you'll get used to," Frank smirked as Janet whimpered. "A mental mind fuck can be nice."

"You won't find Earth people quite the easy mark you imagine," Dr. Scott said as Rocky, Riff-Raff, and Magenta came in through the hole in the wall as the audience made up a rhyme "1, 2, 3, 4, Next time use a fucking door". "This sonic transducer... It is, I suppose, some kind of audio-vibrato-physio-molecular transport device?"

"You mean..." Brad gasped.

"Yes, Brad, it's something we ourselves have been working on for quite some time," Dr. Scott told him. "But it seems our friend here has found a means of perfecting it. A device which is capable of breaking down solid matter and then projecting it through space and, who knows, perhaps even time... Itself!"

"Like a matter transporter? Sweet..." Lionel remarked.

"It's like Star Trek tech." Cherry remarked.

"You mean he's going to send us to another planet?" Janet asked Dr. Scott.

"Planet, shmanet, Janet!" Frank called as he dropped down from Rocky's tank before bumping her back with his behind before he messed around with her front. "You better wise up, Janet Weiss. You better wise up, build your thighs up, You better wise up~"

"And then she cried out..." The Criminologist narrated.

"Staaaaaaaawwwwwp!" Janet cried out as she punched Frank away as Brad punched him away as the cross-dresser fell against Riff-Raff and Magenta.

"Don't get hot and flustered!" Frank glared as he stomped sharply towards the others. "Use a bit of mustard~"

"You're a bullfrog, but you'd better not try to squirt her, with your cheese-filled Frank Furter!" Lionel chanted.

Frank signaled to Magenta, who flipped a switch down, then up. When she was done, Brad had become a statue.

"I've heard of being stone-faced, but this guy takes it up a notch!" Thor remarked.

"You're a hot dog, but you'd better not try to hurt her, Frank Furter." Dr. Scott glared sharply.

Frank bowed his head which made Dr. Scott be next.

"You're a hot dog--" Janet spoke up, only to get cut off as she also became a stone statue.

"That's okay!" Cherry shrugged. "It wouldn't have rhymed anyway."

"My God!" Columbia glared as she soon stepped out to stand up to Frank. "I can't stand any more of this! First you spurn me for

Eddie, and then you throw him off like an old overcoat for Rocky! You chew people up and then you spit them out again... I loved you..."

Frank gave her a quiet look as he looked a bit wide-eyed.

"Do you hear me? I loved you!" Columbia continued to rant. "And what did it get me? Yeah, I'll tell you: a big nothing. You're like a sponge. You take, take, take, and drain others of their love and emotion. Yeah, well, I've had enough. You're gonna choose between me and Rocky, so named because of the rocks in his head."

"Poor Columbia." Cherry whispered.

"Jeez, what a bitch!" The audience chanted. "Quick, Magenta! Throw the switch!"

Frank nodded to Magenta, who pulled the switch, turning Columbia into a statue. He then turned to face the camera. "It's not easy having a good time." he smirked.

"So bite your finger and talk to your favorite red wall like a good Jewish mother." Thor smirked.

Frank nodded again, and next to go was Rocky.

"Rocky finally gets hard. You can't take him for 'granite" any longer'. Lionel snickered.

"Even smiling makes my face ache." Frank said as he walked away to the red fridge door.

"I see a red door and I want to paint it black!" said one guy.

"And my children turn on me. Rocky's behaving just the way that Eddie did," said Frank. "Do you think I made a mistake? Splitting his brain between the two of them?"

"Magenta, what do you have between your legs?" asked Thor.

"Augh, I grow weary of this world!" Magenta groused.

"Is that legal?" asked Thor, as Magenta and Riff Raff entered the scene.

"When shall we return to Transylvania, huh?" asked Magenta.

"Ven ve find Moose and Sqvirrel!" Lionel proclaimed, imitating Paul Frees.

"Magenta, I am indeed grateful to both you and your brother Riff-Raff." Frank began as Riff-Raff slid his finger against Magenta's arm in a seductive fashion.

"Those two are siblings?!" Lionel asked.

"Yep." Cherry and Thor nodded. You have both served me well.

"Loyalty such as yours shall not go unrewarded," Frank continued. "You will discover that when the mood takes me, I can be quite generous."

"I ask for nothing..." Magenta turned her head at Frank sharply. "...Master."

"And you shall receive it in abundance!" Frank decided firmly as he stormed towards the elevator. "Come, we are ready for the floor show!" he then told his servants.

Riff-Raff and Magenta watched Frank leave as they began to leave themselves before they shared their elbow sex briefly.

* * *

"And so, by some extraordinary co-incidence, fate, it seemed, had decided that Brad and Janet should keep that appointment with their friend, Dr. Everett Scott, but it was to be in a situation which none of them would have possibly foreseen," The Criminologist soon narrated as he had a monologue for the audience who made snide comments such as the man being without a neck. "And, just a few hours after announcing their engagement, Brad and Janet had both tasted forbidden fruit. This in itself was proof that their host was a man of little morals and some persuasion. What further indignities were they to be subjected to? And what of the floor show that is spoken of? In an empty house? In the middle of the night? What diabolical plan had been shaped by Frank's crazed imagination? What indeed? From what had gone before, it was clear that this was to be no picnic." he then said.

"Ay, carumba..." Lionel remarked.

The scene soon changed to begin the floor show. Frank was shown with a face mask and a robe with some hair-curlers in his head as he dolled up some of the frozen figures with feather boas and stuck his tongue out at the Janet one before he came to a control panel and flipped on all of the switches and slowly activated the frozen humans, one-by-one.

"It was great when it all began, I was a regular Frankie fan, But it was over when he had the plan, To start a-working on a muscle man~," Columbia began as she sprung to life. "Now the only thing that gives me hope, Is my love of a certain dope, Rose tints my world, keeps me safe from my trouble and pain~"

Frank pulled down the lever, and Rocky came back to life.

"I'm just seven hours old, truly beautiful to behold~And somebody should be told, my libido hasn't been controlled~" The blonde muscleman sang. "And the only thing I've come to trust, is an orgasmic rush of lust!, Rose tints my world, and keeps me safe from my trouble and pain~"

"Brad, what's 1+1?" Thor asked as Brad was next.

"It's beyond me; help me, Mommy! I'll be good; you'll see, Take this dream away~," Brad sang as he took his turn while spinning around before falling flat on the floor as his leg came high in the air. "What's this? Let's see, I feel sexy! What's come over me? WOO! Here it comes again~"

Another pull of the switch and Janet was back to life. "Oh! I... I feel released~" she crooned. "Bad times deceased, My confidence has increased! Reality is here, the game has been disbanded; My mind has been expanded~"

"My asshole's been expanded!" Lionel called out. When Janet moved the boa between her legs, he shouted, "What's that smell? Cover it up!"

"It's a gas that Frankie has landed; His lust is so sincere.~" Janet sang as the velvet curtains opened to reveal the RKO Radio Picture Tower as a stage set.

"What's an RKO?" asked Lionel.

"A Really Kinky Orgasm," Cherry grinned.

"What's a radio picture?" added Lionel.

"MTV for the blind!" Thor replied.

The three of them shared a laugh from that before Cherry began to yawn sleepily due to the next song always making her feel tired, but probably not as much as an upcoming one.

"Whatever happened to--" Frank began.

"Saturday Night!" Thor spoke up as he hummed a few bars from Hot Patootie.

"Fay Wray?~" Frank then continued as he came out with feathers in his hair with a pure white face with heavy blue eye shadow and red lipstick, not to mention a furred animal wrapped around his shoulders. "That delicate, satin-draped frame?, As it clung to her thigh, How I started to cry 'cuz I wanted to be dressed just the same~," he then kicked a lever which made a set of stairs appear as he dropped down from the main stage. "Give yourself over to absolute pleasure, Swim the warm waters of sins of the flesh, Erotic nightmares, beyond any measure, And sensual daydreams to treasure forever, Can't you just see it? Oh, oh, oh... OH!" Some fog appeared before Frank before he jumped down and splashed into a pool of water as he landed in an inner tube as he lapped around in the water. "Don't dream it, be it... Don't dream it... Be it...~"

"Don't dream it, be it~..." Rocky, Columbia, Brad, and Janet copied him before they jumped into the pool with him and they all began to make out with each other.

"Wow... This somehow managed to get even _weirder_..." Lionel commented.

"Yeah, it's quite a trip," Cherry replied. "I think of showing Felicity this sometime when she turns 18 so she can come in with us."

"Yeah, she'll be an adult by then," Thor smiled. "I'm so glad she accepts people of whatever they might be, just like we raised her to believe."

"Ach!" Dr. Scott called out as he came to life next.

"Choo!" Someone else added to make it sound like a sneeze.

"We've got to get out of this trap before this decadence saps our wills," Dr. Scott tried to warn to the melody of the music. "I've got to be strong, and try to hang on, or else my mind may well snap, and my life will be lived..." he then saw under his blanket that he had fishnet stockings and high-heeled shoes on himself before he raised up his leg, despite being paraplegic. "For the thrills!"

"It's beyond me; help me Mommy!" Brad cried out before Columbia dunked his head under the water and she kissed him right on the lips.

"God bless Lili St. Cyr~" Janet sang after Frank kissed on the lips.

"My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my..." said Frank as he waved his arms about. "Wild and untamed thing, I'm a bee with a deadly sting~;You gotta hit and you mind goes ping! Your heart'll thump and your blood will sing~; So let the party and the sounds rock on, We're gonna shake it til the life has gone, Rose tint my world, and keep me safe from my trouble and pain!~"

"Isn't that your alarm ringtone on your phone?" Lionel asked.

"Yeah, really wakes ya up." Cherry nodded.

Dr. Scott began to roll around in his wheelchair with his legs kicking in the air before Brad, Janet, Columbia, and Rocky soon joined Frank in the song.

"We're a wild and an untamed thing, We're bees with a deadly sting, You get a hit and your mind goes ping, Your heart'll thump and your blood will sing, So let the party and the sounds rock on, We're gonna shake it 'till the life has gone, Rose tint my world, keep me safe from my trouble and pain~," Everybody sang together. "We're a wild and an untamed thing, We're bees with a deadly sting, You get a hit and your mind goes ping, Your heart'll thump and your blood will sing, So let the party and the sounds rock on, We're gonna shake it 'til the life has gone, gone, gone, Rose tint my world, keep me safe from my trouble and pain~"

Frank got to the dance with the others before they all let out a sudden gasp before the doors kicked open to show Riff-Raff and Magenta in special coats and hairstyles as Riff-Raff held a pitchfork that was turned into a laser.

"Frank-N-Furter, it's all over," Riff-Raff began, speaking/singing in his speech with his voice a bit high and nasally. "Your mission is a failure; your lifestyle's too extreme. I'm your new commander; you now are my prisoner. We return to Transylvania. Prepare the transit beam~"

"Yowza! Talk about your unexpected plot twists..." Lionel commented.

"What do you say when you get caught humping your neighbor's dog?" A guy asked.

"Wait!" Frank cried out before he smiled nervously. "...I can explain."

Riff-Raff and Magenta looked at each other before smirking slightly as they decided to humor Frank. Frank looked to them before whispering to Rocky and Columbia as he sent them away. Columbia came to a spotlight to turn it on as Rocky flipped some switches as a slow piano tune began to play as Cherry began to look very tired right now due to the song.

* * *

"Guess this is the big finale..." Lionel noted.

"Yep." Thor replied.

"On the day I went away..." Frank sang.

"Goodbye..."

"...Was all I had to say~"

"Now I... I...~"

"I want to come again, and stay~

"Oh, my, my..."

"Smile and that would mean I may, 'Cuz I've seen... Oh! Blue skies~" A scarf was thrown; Frank caught it and wrapped it around his neck. "Through the tears, in my eyes... And I realize, I'm going home~" he sang.

Everybody in the audience began to stand up out of their seats. Lionel looked around before he did the same thing as Frank saw an audience of people in his theater who weren't actually there. Magenta yawned a bit from the song.

"You ungrateful bitch!" A voice snapped.

"I'm going home~" The chorus sang.

"Everywhere it's been the same~..." Frank sang softly as he sat down on stage.

"Feeling~..."

"Like I'm outside in the rain~..."

"Wheeling~..."

"Free to try and find a game~..."

"Dealing~..."

"Cards for sorrow, cards for pain~"

The audience tossed out their playing cards from that.

"'Cuz I've seen, oh, blue skies, Through the tears in my eyes, And I realize, I'm going home~" Frank sang as he came down the aisle to his public as he waved at them as he repeated the last three words of the song for a good while.

The audience applauded.

"How sentimental," Magenta remarked.

"You heartless bitch!" proclaimed someone.

"And also presumptuous of you," Riff-Raff said as he and Magenta walked forward. "You see, when I said we were to return to Transylvania, I referred only to Magenta and myself. I'm sorry if you found my words misleading, but... You see, you are to remain here. In spirit, anyway." he finished as he pulled out a laser pistol.

"Good Heavens, that's a laser!" exclaimed Dr. Scott.

"Yes, Dr. Scott," replied Riff-Raff. "A laser capable of emitting a beam of pure anti-matter."

"That's a _phaser_ , not a laser!" Cherry called out.

"You mean... You're going to kill him?" Brad asked. "What's his crime?"

"You saw what became of Eddie," Dr. Scott replied. "Society must be protected."

"Exactly, Dr. Scott," Riff-Raff replied. "And now, Frank-N-Furter, your time has come. Say goodbye to all of this..."

"Goodbye, all of this!" Thor called out as he waved his hand.

"And hello... To oblivion!" Riff-Riff then grinned with Magenta.

"Hello, Oblivion, how are the wife and kids?" Cherry added. "Your wife, my kids?"

Frank stood up, and Janet put her hand to her mouth. Riff-Raff's mouth twitched as he brought the gun up.

"With a blink of an eye..." said Lionel.

"And a twitch of the lips," added Thor.

"The first one to scream gets it right between the tits." finished Cherry.

Columbia screamed, as Riff-Raff spun around, and fired the ray gun. The ray hit Columbia, and she fell over, dead.

"No!" Frank gasped from that.

Riff-Raff came to aim at Frank next. Frank soon backed away as he began to climb up the rope over the curtain as high as he could. However, Frank wasn't fast as he got shot right at that as Riff-Raff smirked, feeling successful.

"What provoked him anyway?" Lionel asked.

"Frank took all the credit for creating Rocky when Riff-Raff did all of the work," Cherry explained. "So this is pretty much revenge."

"Ohhhhh..." Lionel nodded.

Janet buried her head in Brad's chest, and Dr. Scott put his head in his hands as a curtain fell over Frank's corpse, along with a rope. Rocky let out a cry of anguish; pushing Brad and Janet aside, he crawled to Frank's body and threw the curtain aside. Breaking down in tears, Rocky cradled Frank's body in his arms.

"Hell of a time to fall in love with him." Thor remarked.

Riff-Raff angrily fired his laser gun at Rocky several times.

"Yeah, we don't know why the laser doesn't affect Rocky," Cherry shrugged. "I'm sure there's a reason behind the scenes, but I couldn't tell ya."

"Maybe Sal Piro could." Thor suggested as Rocky carried Frank up the tower before he soon fell from the tower as Riff-Raff shot at it, making both Rocky and Frank splash into the pool, seeming to kill them both.

"I guess they're both dead now." Lionel remarked.

"Pretty much, yeah." Cherry nodded.

"Oh! You killed them!" Janet cried.

"But I thought you liked them..." Magenta said to Riff-Raff. "They liked you."

"...THEY DIDN'T LIKE ME!" Riff-Raff screamed at her before he turned away with a tear suddenly rolling down his cheek. "He never liked _me_!"

"Huh... That was pretty unclear." Lionel replied.

"You did right." Dr. Scott's voice spoke up.

Riff-Raff brightened up from that before he came towards the humans with Magenta beside him. "A decision had to be made." he then remarked.

"You're okay by me." Dr. Scott replied.

Magenta seemed to roll her eyes from that.

"Dr. Scott, I'm sorry about your--" Riff-Raff began.

"Legs." Some audience members said.

"...Nephew." Riff-Raff then said.

"Eddie?" Dr. Scott replied nonchalantly. "Yes, well, perhaps it was all for the best."

"That response always bothered me," Cherry remarked. "For all we know, Eddie could've been Dr. Scott's only living relative and now he's gone."

"Yeah..." Lionel replied.

"You should leave now, Dr. Scott, while it is still possible," Riff-Raff advised. "We are about to beam the entire house to the planet Transsexual, in the galaxy of Transylvania."

Dr. Scott, Brad, and Janet seemed to just stand there.

"Go... Now!" Riff-Raff whispered sharply like stage directions in a choppy school play.

Magenta soon let out a wicked cackle as we are shown Frank's dead body in the pool.

"Our noble mission is completed, my most beautiful sister, and soon we shall return to the moon-drenched shores of our beloved planet." Riff-Raff cooed as he stroked a finger to Magenta's cheek as they were now freed from Frank's tyranny.

"Ah, sweet Transsexual, land of night~" Magenta sighed happily. "To sing and dance once more to your dark refrain... To take that step, to the right..."

"HA!" The two laughed as brief clips of the Time Warp from earlier were shown as the movie began to end.

"But it's the pelvic _thrust_..." Riff-Raff grinned.

"That drives you insane!" The Transylvanians sang happily.

"And our world... Will do the Time Warp... Again!" Magenta beamed before she and Riff-Raff linked elbows as they ran off happily together.

"Well, at least it ended happy for _someone_..." Lionel remarked.

"And now for this before the movie ends," Cherry said. "This song is usually in the UK version."

"Yeah, this movie's from The United Kingdom, so this song only shows in the UK DVD and not the US DVD," Thor told Lionel. "It's pretty alright."

* * *

Dr. Scott was carried by Brad and Janet as they rushed out of the castle as it seemed to be midday and no longer a rainy night as the castle soon began to fly out into the sky as a rainbow was shown as the audience began to toss out or eat their Skittles so they could "taste the rainbow".

"Hm... Alright." Lionel nodded.

"I've done a lot; God knows I've tried, To find the truth. I've even lied~," Brad began to sing from where he lay in the ground. "But all I know is down inside I'm..."

"Bleeding~..." Everybody sang from that.

"And superheroes come to the feast, To taste the flesh not yet deceased~..." Janet soon sang as she crawled around. "And all I know is still the beast is~..."

"Feeding~..." Everybody then sang.

Brad and Janet crawled all around as a choir was heard singing. Some people came up on stage to wave their hands all around the screen before the screen began to spin around and around very fast which made the people on stage yell out and fall flat on the floor together as the scene changed to a spinning globe, showing the Criminologist one last time.

"Man alive... This movie was bizarre to the max..." Lionel exclaimed. "But it WAS fun..."

"So you had fun?" Thor beamed from that.

"Uh-huh, uh-huh!" Lionel exclaimed as he nodded.

"Great!" Thor smiled.

"Oh! Wait." Cherry told them.

They then got quiet briefly as the movie drew to a close.

"And crawling on the planet's face," The Criminologist narrated. "Some insects, called the human race... Lost in time, and lost in space, and meaning."

"Meaning~..." The chorus added as the man left his office, shutting the door behind him in the dark as the globe glowed and the camera zoomed on it.

Some lullaby music seemed to play as the actors were shown with their characters, appearing on screen.

"Science Fiction Double Feature, Frank has built and lost his creature, Darkness has conquered Brad and Janet, The servants gone to a distant planet, Wo, oh, oh, oh~" A high voice sang a reprise of the first song as the lights came back on in the room. "At the late-night, double feature, picture show. I want to go, oh, oh, oh. To the late-night, double feature picture show~"

* * *

By the end of that, the audience was applauding. People who worked in the theater soon came by to clean up the mess, though they grumbled as cleaning up after a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show was more of a hassle than it was in general. Cherry, Lionel, and Thor soon left the theater, now tired after their after midnight fun and they got to do it all together.

"Now it's time to sleep all morning and wake up at noon." Cherry smirked.

"Solid notion, everyone." Lionel nodded with a yawn.

They soon drove back home. Luckily, the house was still standing as the kids were long asleep after their parents left, though Felicity still had a lot on her mind. So the adults slipped back inside and fell into bed shortly after.


	6. Chapter 6

Eventually, the next morning came. Felicity made breakfast for her younger siblings as it was usually her responsibility if none of the adults were awake yet or felt well enough to prepare the morning meal and she loved the chore because she loved to cook and had been cooking her own food since she was around 10-years-old.

"Thanks, Felicity." LJ said as he came to the kitchen and sat down.

"Yeah... Thanks." Zofia added.

"It's my pleasure," Felicity smiled. "You two remember to do your homework?"

"Always." Zofia nodded.

"Yes." LJ replied as he ate his breakfast.

Felicity nodded as she ate breakfast with her younger siblings.

"Are you going to see those new friends of yours?" Zofia asked.

"It's likely," Felicity replied as she ate some of her eggs. "Those four might be the best friends I've ever had. Especially Jay and Carlos, they feel like brothers to me. Not to worry though, LJ, you'll always be my favorite brother."

LJ gave a confident smile. "And proud of it... Though I always wanted one of my own." he replied.

"I'm sure you'll find a brother someday," Felicity smiled back. "Other than Cousin Akito of course."

"Find? No, I mean I want a younger brother," LJ replied. "You've already got a sister in Zofia."

"Yes, that is true..." Felicity admitted.

"Maybe you'll get a little brother soon," Zofia told LJ. "In fact, I hope for it for you even if I would love a little sister myself."

"Well... Thank you." LJ replied.

Felicity smiled as they shared breakfast before they finished up and she went to put the dishes in the sink after they were through eating.

"I think I am about prepared to forgive her." Zofia said to LJ once they were alone.

"Hm... Glad to know that." LJ replied.

"It took some time... And she's proving herself as responsible again..." Zofia said. "But I guess that's just what being grown-up is all about."

"Sure seems like it." LJ replied.

* * *

Eventually, later in the afternoon, Cherry, Thor, and Lionel woke up and had some breakfast leftovers that were there for them in the fridge.

"Your daughter sure can cook." Thor smirked at Cherry.

"Your daughter too." Cherry replied.

"And my niece!" Lionel added. "It all evens out."

"I don't care what those snotty mothers at the PTA say, I love our life together with the three of us." Cherry remarked.

"So do I." Thor nodded.

"Speaking of which, that Parent Night at Felicity's school is very soon," Cherry said. "Have we agreed of what to do for that night?"

"I kinda thought we could all go," Lionel replied. "Considering we're all like parents to her."

"Oh, that works," Cherry said. "I just wanted to make sure we were all clear to go."

"Just hope that Bruce doesn't call us away." Thor reminded.

"Well, he should be able to handle things by himself," Lionel replied. "Since the Joker was taken out for good, it's mostly low-grade crimes."

"Still, we better keep taps on him just in case." Cherry advised.

"We will," Thor smiled. "No matter what happens, we'll keep an eye and ear out for him."

"Perfect." Cherry nodded as she happily ate her breakfast.

Lionel nodded as he continued eating along with Thor. After they ate, they had a bit of a lazy day together, especially the kids. Cherry took out her phone as she got a text.

"What is it?" Thor asked.

"Terry," Cherry replied. "He says he thinks he's ready to accept his fate."

"Then let's head over and see him." Lionel added.

"You guys well-rested after our midnight matinee?" Cherry asked.

Thor and Lionel both nodded.

"All right, we'll cover that base as well." Cherry then said as she sent an approval text back to Terry.

"Okay, it's settled: we'll be there at 5:30," Lionel replied. "Everyone good with that?"

Everybody else gave their own approval as it sounded good enough.

"I'm just glad Terry took the news alright and he's on board," Thor smiled. "This could be the start of a new era."

"Indeed," Lionel replied. "And we could very well be at the forefront. As the Justice League has inspired others so long ago, we shall inspire this new generation."

"Especially with our times with Batman as well as Atticus's times with Superman." Cherry nodded.

"And I got to be part of the League after Atticus got Superman back." Thor smiled.

"Yeah, it was fun having you on the team," Lionel grinned. "...Honestly, I think that was when I started having feelings for you. Though at the time I wasn't quite sure what I was feeling yet."

"I kinda had that feeling too," Thor said bashfully as he held his stomach. "It felt like my gut was on fire."

"You're so poetic." Cherry muttered.

"Well, that's one way to sum it up," Lionel added. "Guess it was internal confusion."

"Love just does strange things to a body," Thor said as Felicity leaned in a bit. "It's complicated."

Felicity looked thoughtful from that as she decided to try to find a way to show Chip that she liked him. Really, really liked him.

"Complicated, but it all works itself out." Lionel replied.

"Such as life... Or as the French say... C'est la vie." Cherry added.

"Yeah!" Lionel nodded.

* * *

Some time passed as Felicity was in her room, on the phone with Mal as she needed some friendly advice.

"So Parent Night is coming up..." Felicity said. "I've thought about talking to Chip then... But I don't know if he'll be there."

"I guess you don't unless you see him." Mal shrugged as she was polishing her own nails while on the phone.

"But if I do see him... What do I say?" Felicity then asked. "Do I just ask him to come over and leave it at that?"

"Well, sure," replied Mal. "But if he just wants to chat, then go for it. Sometimes you need to take any opportunity you can get."

"You seem to know a lot about boys..." Felicity said.

"I've had a bit of history of boys myself," Mal rolled her eyes a bit. "I'm almost ready to give up on them, but that doesn't mean you should. This seems to be your first chance of a boyfriend. Have you liked a boy before?" she then asked.]

"Not really, no," Felicity shook her head. "I mean, I've known boys before, like family friends, but not like Chip... He's very different. At least, that's what it looks like to me and I really hope so..." she said, a bit nervously. "I just don't want him to think that I'm weird."

"Felicity... You _are_ kind weird," explained Mal. "But to be fair? It makes you fun too."

"Oh... I never thought about it like that before..." Felicity said.

"Evie and I will still help out the best that we can," Mal replied as she blew on her nails a bit. "Stop worrying your pretty little head. This is what friends are for."

"Yes, I guess you're right." Felicity smiled sheepishly.

"'Course I am." Mal replied.

"Thank you, Mal." Felicity said.

"Hey, no problem," Mal smirked. "Just remember that I'm almost always right. My mother believes that about herself too."

"I guess I can't wait to meet your guys's parents..." Felicity said. "Hopefully you guys like mine."

"Yeah... Parent Night will be an interesting one..." Mal replied softly as she looked at a magazine that had a blue, flaming-haired rockstar on it who was known as Hades: The God of Death Metal, on the cover as he seemed to have met another rock 'n roll god who was best known as Chernabog: The Master of Darkness, as he called himself.

"That's for sure," Felicity agreed. "Guess I'll catch you later."

"Catch ya later, Flick." Mal replied.

The two girls then hung up as Felicity felt a little bit better while Mal sighed as she tossed the magazine over her shoulder as she collapsed onto her bed, deep in thought over something. "Parents Night..." she sighed.

Felicity thought about the Parents Night herself, especially after she was old enough to understand the situation her parents had as some frowned upon it, but they didn't care, though as a teenager, it left her perplexed. Sometimes she had to wonder how exactly it worked.

* * *

A ring at the front door came from the doorbell.

"LJ, could you get that?" Cherry's voice called out. "We're busy upstairs!"

"Sure, Mom!" LJ replied as he came to get the door until he saw who was at the door who was a cute girl in his class. "Hello, how may I help-"

"Would you like to buy some Honeybee Scout Taffy to raise money for my school?" A beautiful young brown-haired girl asked with a cutesy smile as she held a box of candy to sell.

LJ's face went red. "Uh... S-Sure..." he nodded with a goofy chuckle, topped off with a "hyuck".

Kimberly looked curious. "...Wait, I think I know you..." she then said as he took a look at him.

"Yeah, LJ Schwartz," LJ replied. "From Mr. Trivia's class with Sandra, Ichabod, and Helen."

"That's right!" Kimberly then smiled as she realized it. "Oh... This is your house?" she then asked. "I didn't think anybody lived here... I was a little scared to come actually..."

"...Why?" LJ wondered.

"Our competition The Flower Scouts said that there would be a good chance to boost in Honey Taffy sales if we came to this neighborhood," Kimberly replied. "It's kind of a creepy place to be around... Uh, no offense of course..." she then said sheepishly as she felt like she had offended his neighborhood which was mostly his mother's idea to move into.

"Ah, it ain't so bad," LJ replied. "Everyone's a little gruff, but they're good-natured. 'Specially the Halliburtons a couple doors down. Just moved in, and the parents are quite likable."

"Well, that's at least good." Kimberly said.

"Who's at the door, kiddo?" Thor asked as he came over.

"Um... Hi... Would you like some Honeybee Taffy?" Kimberly offered.

"Hmm... Cherry doesn't like too much taffy because it's tough on her teeth... I should be watching my figure... Maybe a couple of boxes..." Thor replied thoughtfully. "How much?"

"$4 a box." Kimberly informed.

"I see..." Thor smiled as he brought out his wallet. "'Scuse me~"

"Uncle... This is Kimberly." LJ replied.

"Oh... Is this the Kimberly girl you said you might have a crush on?" Thor smiled.

Kimberly looked a bit surprised from that, blushing slightly as she held the boxes of taffy.

"...Yes..." LJ blushed from head to toe at that.

"It's nice to meet you, Kimberly," Thor smiled as he gave her the money and took the boxes of taffy. "You should come over sometime."

"Uh, maybe I'll see what I can do, sir," Kimberly smiled back before seeing how much money she got. "WHOA! 50 bucks?!" she then reached out to give him some change.

"Nah, it's okay," Thor smiled. "You can use as a tip and charity to the Honeybee Scouts. You don't seem as cutesy and adult sucking-up as the Flower Girls that usually come to our door."

"Well... Thank you, sir," Kimberly replied. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind!"

"You have a nice day now." Thor beamed as he came inside the house with the boxes.

LJ looked very mortified from the reveal of his crush just like that.

"So, uh, that's your uncle?" Kimberly asked as she decided to stay a little bit.

"Yeah..." LJ replied. "I guess so. He lives with us, and he's a bit eccentric, not as much as my dad, but he's pretty fun."

"He does seem nice," Kimberly smiled. "I guess this'll give me a chance to talk with you a bit at class if we're not too busy with another boring lecture that seems to put everybody to sleep."

"Aw, Mr. Trivia ain't such a bore," LJ replied. "It's just cuz of his voice."

"Honestly, I just daydream half of the time," Kimberly said bashfully. "I sorta live in my own little fantasy world."

"Heh... Sounds like fun." LJ replied.

Kimberly smiled back before looking over. "...I should probably go..." she then said softly. "Maybe in school, we should try talking to each other then," she then suggested. "We could probably have lunch together someday."

"I'd like that." LJ replied.

"I'd like that too, I hope I see you then." Kimberly beamed before she gave him a friendly hug and walked off, skipping in her step a bit as she met three other girls in different uniforms than her.

The other girls were the Flower Scouts and they each wore white short-sleeved shirts, with pink sashes displaying their badges and pink flannel skirts. A deep contrast to Kimberly's uniform which was a dark golden color with a green badge with a tiny brown hat on her head as she was a Honeybee and they were Flowers.

"Hey, you're alive," The tangerine-haired girl remarked. "We thought maybe you got fattened up and locked in the cellar to be eaten for supper or something."

"Yeah, what're you so happy about?" The golden blonde-haired girl with an eyepatch added as the blue-haired and dark-skinned girl nodded from that.

"I dunno who told you about that family, but they're pretty cool," Kimberly glared. "They seem very nice and oh-so generous..." she then smiled as she took a look at the money she earned from her taffy sale.

"Yeah, my uncle's pretty cool like that." LJ remarked, standing in the doorway.

The Flower Girls screamed at the sight of LJ.

"Do I have something on my face?" LJ asked.

"It's the witch's kid!" The redheaded girl told her friends. "Don't let him look into your soul! He'll tell his mother he saw us and then she'll eat us!"

"I haven't met his mother, but I doubt she's a witch if she has such a kind and funny boy for a son." Kimberly glared.

"Yeah, and quit spreading lies about my mother!" LJ added. "I don't _like_ that at all!"

The Flower Scouts soon ran off as they feared for their lives.

Kimberly rolled her eyes a bit. "And I thought Portia was a pain enough," she then face-palmed herself. "Why did I let myself listen to those three when they're one of our biggest competition next to the Dragonflies?"

"They're just trying to throw you off your game," LJ shrugged. "Typical jerk move."

"...Your mother's not _really_ a witch though, right?" Kimberly asked. "I mean... I don't think anybody's ever seen her."

"Good grief, no!" LJ exclaimed.

"I didn't think so, especially with how sweet you seem," Kimberly replied. "Maybe I could meet your family sometime, but... Let's get to know each other first over lunch at school." she then giggled bashfully.

"Alright, works for me!" LJ replied.

"Sounds good, until then, see you later." Kimberly smiled before she dashed off.

* * *

As LJ came back into the house, Thor ate some taffy, though grunted a bit as he got his teeth stuck together.

"I think I remembered why we don't eat a lot of taffy in this house." Thor muffled as he tried to eat some Honeybee Taffy.

"Could be." LJ shrugged.

Thor kept smacking his lips a bit from the taffy.

"All right, Parent Night will be here for your big sister soon enough," Cherry said as she came over to LJ. "We'll arrange for a babysitter for you and Zofia."

"...Well, okay." LJ nodded.

"Who was at the door?" Cherry then asked.

Thor muffled a bit, trying to tell her.

"Honeybee Scout?" Cherry asked. "...Oh, you bought taffy... I hate that stuff."

Thor looked sheepish.

"It was... A friend." LJ replied as Lionel helped Thor out.

"Oh, you know her?" Cherry then asked.

"Yeah," LJ replied. "She's in my class."

"Well... This'll be a good chance for you two to talk," Cherry smirked a bit. "After all, Sandra seems more like a sister to you than maybe girlfriend material."

"I guess, though I like her a little," LJ replied. "Besides, I already got two sisters."

"Hmm... Yes..." Cherry said. "Anyway... Felicity's Parent Night will be soon. Shall we go over the house rules?"

"Do we always have to do this?" Zofia asked as she walked by.

"I just want to be cautious so we don't have a repeat of that house party, though Felicity proved herself responsible from my midnight appointment with your father and uncle," Cherry had to admit. "Though, Zo, you have always been very mature for your age and you're practically a grown-up in spirit."

"Does that mean _I_ get to be the babysitter?" Zofia smirked.

Cherry smirked back a bit to humor her younger daughter before she said, "No."

Zofia puffed her cheeks out at that. "Darn..."

"Just be on your best behavior for whoever we pick." Cherry said.

"Please don't be Mrs. Kwan." Zofia begged.

"Don't worry," Cherry rolled her eyes. "She won't be babysitting you guys for a long time after I spoke with Joan Walden, a fellow mother in the grocery store, who used to let her babysit her kids Sally and Conrad too."

"Alright, then who is it?" asked LJ.

"We're gonna look into babysitters actually, but we thought maybe Phoebe as a candidate since she's a pretty quiet and content girl these days." Cherry replied.

"Oh... Well, okay," LJ replied. "I guess that works."

"Just remember to be on your best behavior." Cherry reminded.

"We will." LJ and Zofia promised.

Thor soon took a deep breath and smiled. "Ah... Got that sticky stuff out of my mouth..." he then said before looking over. "...Eh, they won't get how wrong that sounded anyway." he then said as LJ and Zofia were in the room and they were too young to get the subliminal message.

Although LJ did snicker a little.

"Ah, it wouldn't be the first time you got sticky stuff in your mouth." Lionel replied.

Thor grinned sheepishly.

"And now to pad things out until the big day comes." Cherry then said.

* * *

Eventually, Phoebe was shown waving goodbye as she was at the house to look after LJ and Zofia as Thor, Cherry, Lionel, and Felicity rode off to visit Felicity's school for the Parent's Evening.

"Welp, here we go," Lionel remarked. "Parents Night."

"I can't wait to meet some of your little friends from school, Felicity." Thor smiled.

"Yeah... I hope it's a good night." Felicity replied as she glanced out the window as they drove towards her school.

"It should at least be interesting." added Lionel.

* * *

Eventually, the school doors were shown to be open as students were all over the place with their parents/guardians. Mal stepped inside as she looked around the corridor.

"Ah! What a lovely night!" A dramatic black-haired woman proclaimed. "I do love a good party!"

"Keep your voice down, Mom," Mal groaned through her teeth before looking over to see a limo coming which made her look hopeful. "Mom! Look!" she then rushed over with a hopeful smile as she came to the door. "Dad?"

The door opened to show two short men who stepped out of the limo.

"Ah, Mal, darling, it's your father's roadies." Mal's mother remarked at the sight.

"Make way, make way!" The pudgy one yelled.

"Step back, clear the way!" added the lanky one. "The boss told us to fill in for him here!"

Mal looked a bit crestfallen once she saw those two.

"Oh, by the way, this is for you." The pudgy man told Mal as he brought out a telegram for her.

Mal took the telegram, but decided not to read it as they were all the same these days. She would get an invitation from her father to visit where he would normally be for the time before she would end up going there with her mother and he would have another letter or telegram saying that the two men would be at their disposal with a small "Daddy loves you" added which felt forced and untrue sometimes.

"Let's get this show on the road, huh?" The lanky man chuckled at Mal. "Is there food at this party?"

"There are some snacks in the cafeteria." Mal said with a sigh.

"Score!" The both of them slapped fives and raced off.

"Well, at least it isn't boring." Lionel remarked.

Mal stared at the floor as she walked off.

"Flick, I think I see a friend of yours." Cherry spoke up as she spotted Mal.

"You okay, Mal?" Felicity called.

"Huh? Oh, yeah... Felicity, I'm fine..." Mal replied before she gave a sad smile. "Just being reminded of the kind of guy that my dad is."

Felicity frowned in concern from that.

"Don't worry about me," Mal replied. "Let's just try to make the most of the time we have here with our... Parents..."

"Well, alright," Felicity replied. "These are my parents... As well as my Uncle Lionel."

"Um... Hi..." Mal said to them.

"Hi!" Thor beamed.

"Hello." Cherry and Lionel added.

"Welcome to our school, I guess," Mal shrugged before looking over. "Uh, Mom? Mom!" she then called out before looking around with a sigh. "She must be trying to show the other parents her campaign to run as Mayor again."

"Whoof," Lionel remarked. "You have my condolences, kid."

"Thanks, sir." Mal replied.

* * *

They soon came into the gym where all of the students were with their parents, along with some teachers. Mal stuck close to Felicity's family as she felt more comfortable with them than with her father's roadies. A dark blonde-haired boy laughed as he climbed up a rope to show off to his parents who were a black-haired man and a blonde woman who watched in approval.

A dark-haired woman was shown to be putting a bunch of make-up on Evie who was more or less forced into it like she was more of a dress-up doll than a daughter. "You've got to look your best for your next pageant, darling." she then told her daughter.

"Mom, people are watching!" Evie groaned.

"Let them watch, dear," The woman beamed as she hugged her daughter closely. "They should look at you and how precious you are."

Evie groaned from what she was subjected to. Carlos chuckled a bit as he watched what happened to Evie, covering his mouth a bit to stifle his laughter. Evie glared daggers at him, making him duck down.

"This is where everybody else is." Mal remarked.

Felicity walked out with Mal to explore a bit as Cherry, Lionel, and Thor wandered themselves to meet some of the other parents. The two girls soon found Evie and Carlos and went to find Jay so that they could hide away together while the other students were with their parents, though most of the boys were showing off their strong feats.

"Dad didn't show up." Mal said to the others.

"Typical," Evie sighed. "I'm sorry, Mal."

"Ah, not your fault," Mal replied. "At this point I've gotten used to it. If he cared, he would've shown up by now."

Felicity frowned as she looked and felt sorry for her friend.

"So, I might be missing school next week," Evie told the others. "There's a pageant coming up."

"Okay, see ya and good luck." Carlos replied.

"So you can miss school because of a beauty pageant?" Felicity asked.

"Yes," Evie replied. "My mother lets me get home-schooled so I can attend pageant practices and get my education worked out so I don't ruin my school performance. Honestly though?" she then said before looking around as she whispered right to Felicity. "I'd rather stay here in school with you guys."

"Guess your mother's a beauty queen type." Felicity said from that.

Lionel shook his head with a solemn expression. "I've seen it too many times. Parent tries to live out their dreams through their child." he remarked.

"Mm-hmm." Cherry and Thor nodded from that.

Delia and Deidre walked off together before glancing over. Cherry glanced over at the twins curiously who glanced back at her before they went to go over to their best friend: Audrey.

"Cherry? Is that you?" A voice asked.

"Huh?" Cherry replied before looking over to see a brown-haired woman with hazel eyes which made her beam as she recognized that face anywhere, even after all these years. "Belle! Long time no see!"

The two women then shared a hug with each other. Lionel and Thor went to go sit nearby as the two women reconnected after not having seen each other in ages.

"It's always good to see a smile on Cherry's face," Thor said. "Even if it's probably a diabolical smirk half of the time."

"Either way, it's still pretty cute." Lionel added.

Cherry soon came over with Belle who had a son of her own.

"So, is this the famous Belle we heard about from college?" Thor asked.

"Yes," Cherry replied. "My best friend from my times at the college. And what a handsome young man she has with her."

"This is my son, Benjamin," Belle giggled. "Yes, he certainly takes after his father, Adam. Um... Which one of you is Cherry's husband?"

"I am." Both Lionel and Thor smirked.

"It's a joint effort," Lionel explained. "And we owe it all to a little thing called... Polygamy. That's the word of the day!"

"Well, it's nice to meet you two," Belle replied. "I believe I've heard of you."

Ben looked around before he curiously looked through the bleachers and came to see the kids that were hiding in there.

"Oh, yes, we're all pretty busy raising our little family," Thor replied. "You could say we're like superheroes."

Cherry nudged Thor a bit for that last sentiment.

"Oh, Thor, you kidder; nothing super about us," Lionel chuckled. "We're just three parents doin' our best."

"Uh, yeah," Thor grinned from that. "Nothing super at all."

Belle raised an eyebrow, but she had fun reconnecting with Cherry and meeting her new family so far.

* * *

"Sometimes I'd like to rise above the school and take over all the jerks who ever made fun of us," Mal smirked as Ben eavesdropped slightly while spying on Felicity with her new group of friends. "Become like a Queen of the School somehow... Especially against Audrey and those Dennis twins."

"Yeah, that'd be pretty neat," Carlos replied. "But I kinda wonder if we'd be any better than the jerks who made fun of us?"

"Hmm..." Mal paused thoughtfully.

"Especially after you threw that party at my house while my mother happened to step out for that night and I had to clean everything up before she would come back home." Carlos mumbled.

"Hey! Uh, I did that to cheer you up!" Mal replied.

"Mm-hmm..." Carlos rolled his sepia eyes. "It would be nice for some payback, but we'd probably just look petty."

Everyone mumbled in agreement.

"Hmm..." Jay paused to himself.

"You okay, Jay?" Felicity asked. "You seem quiet."

"I'm fine." Jay replied.

"If you say so..." Felicity replied.

Jay just let out a sigh.

"Ahem!" The school's art teacher who had long blonde hair and wore a purple dress cleared her throat sharply who was known as Mrs. Ryder. "If everybody will come with me, we'll visit my art classroom," she then said with a smile. "Parents, your children have kindly painted portraits and drawn pictures of you all for tonight that I think you must see as our own little art show. Your children are so creative, especially in the way they see you."

"Well, this oughta be good," Lionel remarked. "It should also give us some insight."

Everybody soon began to leave the gym.

"Come on, guys, we better kick it." Mal said before grunting as she accidentally bumped into Ben, putting them both on the floor.

WHAM!

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry." Ben said bashfully.

"Ah, my bad, it was... My... Fault..." Mal replied before she tapered off, getting a good look at Ben; her face became red as a tomato.

Ben looked back as their eyes seemed to lock with each other's.

"Hey... Aren't you on the football team?" Jay asked Ben as Mal looked away bashfully from Ben.

"Yeah, I'm the captain," Ben replied before looking at Jay. "Maybe you oughta try-out. You seem like you got the body build for it."

"Uh... Alright; I'll consider it." Jay nodded.

They soon went to follow the others after the school art teacher to see the artwork that everybody made of their parents.

"Ugh... Those four bother me..." Audrey glared about Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos.

"You should find a way to channel that negative energy you have." Delia smirked.

"Like how we found a way to do the same." Deidre added.

"Oh? What did you have in mind?" asked Audrey.

"Maybe you'd like to meet us after school sometime and we could show you a special life?" Delia smirked.

"After school?" Audrey pondered. "Hmm... I guess I could do that..."

"Trust us, it'll be worth it," Deidre replied. "We'll show you some special other friends of ours."

"Okay, then," Audrey nodded. "Consider it done."

"Excellent~" The Dennis twins grinned a bit from that.

* * *

Soon, we are shown the art classroom of the school where there was an art gallery all over the place which was covered in homemade pictures that the students made of their parents of how they saw them personally.

"Heheheh..." Thor chuckled as he looked at the picture of him, Cherry, and Lionel which was him as an angel and Cherry and Lionel as devils.

"Oh, I see who your favorite parent is now." Cherry smirked.

"He seemed to fit the angel theme the best to me." Felicity said bashfully.

"Gee, ya think ya know a kid..." Lionel exhaled through his nostrils.

Felicity shuffled her feet slightly as she wandered with her classmates.

"Oh, how sweet!" Belle smiled at Ben's contribution which was of her as a queen, Ben's father Adam as a king, and Ben as the prince.

Jay looked a bit emotional as he watched the other students look very happy with their parents as he looked sad and envious of them as he stood by himself. Naturally, his friends were there to offer what comfort they could.

"What do we have here, huh?" Felicity asked before looking over to Jay's picture of his father.

"My dad," Jay replied. "You might recognize him from your local neighborhood antique pawn shop."

Felicity looked up to see Jay's father's picture who was a bit snake-like in appearance with beady red eyes as he sat on a huge pile of gold coins and treasures. "Looks pretty greedy..." she then commented.

"Yeah, that's kinda the idea," Jay replied. "He's always had time for his dumb antiques, but never for me. Sometimes I wonder if I was adopted."

"You ever try talking to him?" Felicity asked.

"You think I haven't, Flick?" Jay rolled his eyes. "I swear the only times we talk is when he cooks our food and then asks me if I have anything new to add to the store."

Felicity frowned a bit empathetically.

"Honestly, I envy you," Jay replied. "You have three parents. I'd just be glad to have ONE that's actually willing to listen to me and consider what I hafta say."

Felicity still looked soft from that.

"I guess it's better than my mom... She makes me sleep on the floor," Carlos said as he looked at his mother's picture which was a wild-haired woman with eyes that were like flaming coals with long fingers that almost looked like claws. "If my mother doesn't scare you, no evil thing will."

"She's like a spider waiting for the kill." Felicity remarked.

"Watch out for, Cruella, de Vil~!" sang Lionel, leaning. "Oh, my bad. I thought we were singing. Hey, those could be great lyrics, for the ultimate diss track!"

The teenagers looked bashful from his sudden inclusion.

"It's insulting my mother, but I really like the beat of it so far." Carlos chuckled.

"Alright, think of other things you can't stand about her and build on that." Lionel instructed.

Carlos nodded from the advice.

"Evie, this must be your mother..." Felicity said as she saw the next picture. "She looks like a fairy tale wicked queen step-mother."

"I was going for that," Evie nodded as they looked at her mother's portrait. "She's quite poisonous in her own way."

"Oh, because of how she was making you up like some sort of dress-up doll..." Felicity replied.

"She does that too," Evie said. "I've been in a series of beauty pageants over the years."

"How many years?" Felicity asked.

"16." Evie replied.

"...Aren't you 16 _now_?" Felicity's eyes widened.

"Exactly." Evie nodded.

Felicity shivered at that. "...My condolences, as my uncle says."

"It's okay." Evie nodded.

Felicity then saw a portrait of what looked like a female version of The Devil, complete with horns and green flames around the purple and black-dressed woman.

"I bet you can guess who this is." Mal said.

"Your mother." Felicity guessed.

"Yep." Mal nodded.

"My condolences to you too, Mal." Felicity then said.

"I guess the four of us have something in common: we all can't stand our parents." Jay remarked.

"Guess that's why you all hung out together when I first met you." Felicity said.

"More or less, but we got closer together after we met you." Carlos smiled bashfully.

"Really?" Felicity asked from surprise.

"Oh, sure," Mal replied. "You're a bit of an outsider like us. Some other kids in school think that we can be rotten sometimes."

"Rotten to the core." Jay smirked.

"Heh... I'd hate to get on your bad side." Felicity smiled sheepishly.

"That only happens when we're picked on." Evie replied.

"Good to know." Felicity replied.

* * *

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos took a look at Felicity's portrait of her family, though she assured them that making her mother and uncle into devils was a bit of a joke because she viewed her father as an angelic sweetheart which made them laugh a bit, though they were also envious that she had a loving family back home.

"It's so good to see that Flick was able to make some friends." Cherry said as she watched with the others.

"Yeah," Lionel agreed. "Bummer that they don't exactly have such great home lives, though. Wish there was something we could do."

"Mm-hmm..." Thor pouted and nodded.

"Aw, come on, you guys," Cherry replied. "I wouldn't worry too much about them."

Thor crossed his arms with a bit of a serious look in his eyes.

"I mean, yeah, it's sad, but I wouldn't dwell on it too much." Cherry defended.

"Why not?" Lionel asked. "Those kids need better parental figures in their lives than the ones they're stuck with."

"Will you _please_ think of the children?!" Thor cried like an overly dramatic mother.

"Okay, okay, sorry!" Cherry then said. "I don't know what exactly we'll do, but we'll help Flick's friends."

"I knew you had a heart in there." Lionel smirked.

"Hmph," Cherry smirked back. "You just thought it was shriveled up and black though, didn't you?"

"Of course not!" Thor replied before he brought them into a hug. "Get in here!"

"A warning next time?!" Cherry grunted.

Felicity giggled from afar as she watched her parents.

"You have a weird family." Audrey crossed her arms at Felicity.

"Um... Hi, Audrey..." Felicity said. "You think so?"

"Yeah," Audrey glared a bit. "I mean, who has three parents?"

"So? What's it to _you_?" asked Mal.

"Last we checked, nobody asked for your input." Evie added.

"And for the record, that's her uncle." Jay finished.

"It's still weird," Audrey rolled her eyes. "I bet those three share a bed."

"...That's how I was made?" Felicity replied, feeling confused.

"My grandmother says that sort of thing is unnatural," Audrye glared a bit. "And that means you're unnatural too."

"Once again, who asked you?" asked Mal.

"Your grandmother is just a stuffed-up old fuddy-duddy!" Carlos added. "It's the 21st century! Get with the times!"

"Besides, who asked _you_ to run Felicity's life for her?" asked Jay. "How is that any of your business? Maybe before you judge others, you should take a long, hard look at _yourself_!"

"At least I'm popular." Audrey retorted.

"Ugh! I am so sick of that argument!" Mal glared. "You may be popular, but that doesn't matter! Why does it even matter anyway?"

"Because if something happened to me, everybody would care," Audrey retorted. "But if something bad happened to you, nobody would care or even miss you."

"That's where you're wrong," Lionel remarked. "When you're popular, people only like you because being around you helps their status and lets them leech off you, but minus your precious popularity? Nobody would give you the time of day. Besides, being popular doesn't change the fact that there is evil in your heart."

"Help! The grown-ups are being mean to me!" Audrey whined and cried.

"Wow..." Cherry rolled her eyes as some music started to play to help the kids have fun, but it was a bit pointless.

"Witch." Audrey grumbled about Cherry.

"I believe you said something unflattering about my mother," Felicity glared as she tried to be assertive. "Would you care to repeat it loud enough for everybody to hear?"

"You can't tell me what to do, misfit." Audrey glared as she poked Felicity in the chest.

"Did you just touch me?" Felicity glared back as some sort of rage grew deep down inside of her as she felt crazy angry all of the sudden. "Did this BITCH JUST _TOUCH_ ME?!"

"Oh, crap..." Thor gulped, picking up Lionel and Cherry and backing off.

"Something tells me she just pushed Flick too far." Carlos gulped.

"Yeah, I touched you," Audrey glared at Felicity. "What're you gonna do about--"

Felicity suddenly struck Audrey right in the face with a punch and tackled the other girl down to the floor. Mal cupped her mouth as she looked like she was trying not to laugh. The students all jeered and yelled as they came in a circle around Felicity and Audrey as the music got louder.

 ** _"Y'all gonna make me lose my mind, Up in here, Up in here~"_ **The music blared while the adults began to look horrified.

"Not gonna lie, she had this coming..." Jay grinned.

"I wasn't even the one doing it, and yet, it's catharsis by proxy." Evie added.

A brown-haired man and a blonde-haired woman rushed over towards Audrey with concern. Felicity growled a bit as she got off, though she was still pretty enraged with Audrey.

"Mark my words, Felicity," Audrey glared as she now had a bloody nose and a black eye. "You'll pay for this."

"The check's in the mail... Bitch." Felicity replied, flashing a toothy grin.

Audrey growled a bit as Philip and Aurora catered to their daughter.

"Felicity..." Thor called. "Please don't do that ever again."

"...I'm sorry..." Felicity said softly. "But I had to defend myself."

"Not like the teachers were doing much to put a stop to it, apparently," Lionel shrugged. "While I don't condone what she did... I will admit it looked pretty cool."

"I had no idea you had so much inner rage." Cherry remarked.

"I guess I was holding back a little..." Felicity replied. "I don't get angry very often, but when I do, I suggest someone should run. Run so far away."

"I guess I am her mother then." Cherry smirked to herself.

Lionel and Thor nodded to that.

"...That was SO COOL!" Mal exclaimed.

Felicity looked bashful.

"I wish I could fight like that," Carlos said. "I'm sometimes too scared to even talk to my mother whenever there's something I really don't wanna do... Like looking after Fluffy."

"I'm guessing that's her dog?" Felicity replied.

"Yes, and it's a very tiny and annoying little yappy thing," Carlos rolled his eyes as he moved his fingers like a mouth going up and down rapidly. "I swear, every day it's 'Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip'!"

"Well... Anytime you guys want to come over and hang out... My parents wouldn't be too opposed," Felicity replied. "In case you ever need to get away from home life."

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos looked hopeful from that. Felicity smiled before she held out her arms.

The four smirked before they decided to playfully tackle her instead. "Dog-Pile on Flick!" they called out before tackling her.

Felicity yelped out before she laughed and they laughed with her as they had fun together as best friends.

Cherry, Lionel, and Thor looked very happy that Felicity was able to find, make, and keep some friends.

"That girl might give me some competition," A girl with aqua-colored braided hair remarked as she stood with a black-haired boy. "Maybe I'll get her to join my crew."

* * *

The rest of Parent Night went off without a hitch after that.

"I am a bit concerned of the fight that broke out." The headmistress said to Cherry, Lionel, and Thor.

"Yes, ma'am, we'll talk to her about it," Cherry replied. "Thank you for having us though."

The headmistress nodded firmly from that.

"Yeah, it was an interesting experience." Lionel added.

"Have a safe trip back home," The headmistress replied. "I also certainly hope Felicity doesn't get sent into my office, she seems like a very sweet girl."

"Yeah, just don't piss her off, ya know what I'm sayin'?" Thor chuckled.

"Erm... Yes..." The headmistress replied. "I do have to admit though, it's not as bad as the student: Uma Jones. I swear that girl spends more time in my office than in her actual classes."

"I see," Lionel nodded. "Well, we'll be sure to keep that in mind."

The headmistress nodded.


	7. Chapter 7

Meanwhile, the kids sat at their own tables in the cafeteria to have some ice cream before they would go back home for the night.

"If it's okay with my parents, I think we should all have a sleepover." Felicity said to her friends.

"Sleepover with a couple of boys?" Carlos asked.

"Score!" Jay smirked. "I bet your mom makes killer snacks."

"Snacks are more my father's territory," Felicity replied. "And, uh, I guess you boys could come too... Though I mostly meant Mal and Evie since we're all girls."

"Not like we've got anything better to do," Jay shrugged. "And besides, not like we're gonna do anything skeevy."

"Hmm... I wanna be cautious since I have two father figures to worry about..." Felicity replied. "I would love you guys to come too," she then smirked playfully. "Unless you crash the sleepover as Carla and Jayla."

Carlos and Jay sweat-dropped from that as Felicity giggled.

"Don't be silly," Carlos replied. "...I could never pull off a skirt, and my mom would probably take that the wrong way and start trying to pass me off as her teenage duplicate."

"And I doubt I'd be able to pass as a girl." Jay added.

The girls giggled a bit.

"Ah, it is a lovely evening, is it not?" A boy smirked as he came up beside their table as he held a black-colored rose. "Love is in the air~"

The group blankly looked at him.

"What do _you_ want, Zevon?" Mal asked.

"And where's your clone, Yzla?" Evie added.

"Oh, I'm just passing through by myself," The boy replied before holding out the rose to Felicity. "Thinking about our upcoming dance It would be nice to have someone to go with other than my sister."

"Erm... Yes..." Felicity said as she took the rose curiously. "I was having some thoughts about going after all."

"Really?!" Zevon exclaimed, almost ecstatic. "Well, then, consider yourself fortunate! I'd _love_ to take you!"

"I! Uh..." Felicity stammered.

"She doesn't want to go with you," Mal told Zevon. "She wants to go with Chip Potts."

"That cafeteria boy?!" Zevon glared. "He doesn't even _go_ to school with us!"

"Well... I like him..." Felicity said as firmly as she could. "At least... I hope that he'll like me back."

Zevon snorted. "You'd be better off going with _me_!" he remarked.

"I don't think that's going to happen." Felicity muttered.

"Oh, you shall see," Zevon smirked. "You'll see that I'm the better candidate. I'm brilliant, I tell you! BRILLIANT!" he then exclaimed in an over-the-top sort of way with what sounded like a maniacal laugh with lightning going off in the background outside.

"Jeez, what a major-league cuckoo clock." Jay remarked, twirling a finger to his head.

"Tell me about it," Mal rolled her eyes. "So Flick, speaking of Chip, you think you wanna make the first move?"

"I guess I could try it out," Felicity shrugged. "I'm still a little nervous about talking to him one-on-one."

"Well, you'll have to overcome it before the big dance," Evie replied. "Lucky for you, we're here to help."

Felicity let out a small sigh as she tried to not feel as worried about the dance as she did on the inside. Audrey was seen with the Dee Dee twins.

"I dunno what Audrey and the clones are up to, but I already hate it." Mal rolled her eyes.

"When those three get together, it's never for anything good." added Jay.

"Just stick by us," Evie told Felicity. "We'll help protect you."

Felicity smiled from that.

* * *

Eventually, everything must come to an end, so everybody began to leave the school to go back home after a very eventful evening. Felicity and her parents returned home, seeing Phoebe downstairs, while LJ and Zofia had long since gone to bed.

"Hey, Bebe, did it go okay?" Thor smiled.

"Yeah, they were perfect," Phoebe replied. "Can I have 50 bucks?"

Thor narrowed his eyes. "10."

"25." Phoebe smirked.

"10." Thor glared.

"10." Phoebe smirked.

"50." Thor glared.

"Perfect! Thanks!" Phoebe beamed as she accepted the money before she would go back home.

Lionel was about to tell Thor he'd been tricked, but Cherry covered his mouth. "No... Let him figure it out." she instructed.

Lionel nodded from that.

"Well, Felicity, aside from pounding the snot out of that Queen Bee at your school, tonight was very interesting," Cherry said to Felicity. "I suggest you go to bed now though if you haven't finished your homework."

"Yes, Mother." Felicity replied with a bow of her head. She walked upstairs as her parents got ready to go to bed.

"You guys still thinking about Felicity's school friends?" Cherry asked.

Lionel and Thor nodded from that.

"Of course you are," Cherry then said as they went to their bedroom. "At least they seem to actually like her."

"Aye," Lionel nodded. "But I just wish there was something we could do for them. After all, Felicity is lucky to have three parents, but the rest of them are treated so poorly that it's like they have no parents."

"Especially that Jay kid." Cherry added.

"Well, I say that they're always welcome here," Thor smiled. "It could be like their home away from home like how we viewed The Hall of Justice when we were teenagers for after school activities of our own that weren't electives."

"Now there's an idea!" Lionel beamed.

"Now just hold on!" Cherry said. "I'm not sure if we have enough room."

"Who's the warlock here?" Thor replied as he made magic appear in his hands.

"Hmm... You are..." Cherry rolled her eyes.

"And I can just make extra room." Lionel added.

Cherry sweat-dropped a bit.

"We win~" Thor and Lionel both grinned.

"...Yes, you win..." Cherry grumbled. "We'll see how much they like it here though after a little sleepover so we can all get to know each other a little better."

"Works for us!" Lionel and Thor replied.

"You're lucky I like you two." Cherry said to them.

"Yeah, we know!" Thor and Lionel chuckled.

Cherry rolled her eyes briefly. "It's been quiet from Bruce... You think he's still alive?" she then asked softly.

"You heard what Alfred said," Thor reminded. "He's too stubborn to die."

"Not to mention things have been slow lately," Lionel nodded. "Guess icin' Mr. Happy must've scared the other crooks back into line."

"Yeah, I guess that's a good point," Cherry said. "Still, promise me that we'll keep an eye out?"

"Sure, Cherry, if that'll be easier on you," Thor smiled sweetly. "Let's just not forget about the kids."

"Oh, I won't," Cherry said. "As grim and dark as I may be, I'm still a mother and I think I do a pretty good damn job most of the time. I mean, they're all still alive, aren't they?"

"Can't argue with that logic." Thor remarked.

Lionel nodded. "Will do."

"If it's all the same to you about Flick's friends, we'll invite them over and let them sleepover to see how much they like it here and if we enjoy their company as much as she does." Cherry said.

"Fair enough, Cherry," Thor smiled. "So long as I make them some snacks and get the house cleaned in time."

"Knowing you, that's very likely." Cherry replied with how much of a househusband that Thor could be sometimes with cooking and cleaning like a wife from the 1950's.

"And I'll do my best to act as a better parental figure to each of them!" Lionel added.

"I hope I could too," Cherry said. "I was pretty terrified when I got pregnant with Felicity and had her."

"Yeah, we know, you were worried you'd be a terrible mother, but she's a lovely young lady and anyone would be lucky and happy to know her." Thor smiled with encouragement.

"Anyways, we should be fine," Lionel replied. "Like that time in college, when Thor and I went to Cape Suzette."

"That was an adventure to remember." Thor chuckled.

"You gonna just talk from your own memories and leave me out of it 'cuz I wasn't there?" Cherry smirked playfully.

"Aw, relax~!" Lionel soothed. "For once, I actually get to do that!"

"Sorry you had to miss it though," Thor pouted. "I'm sure you would've had some sort of fun."

"Yeah, maybe," Cherry shrugged. "I'm glad you two got to have some fun though."

"Better believe it~" Lionel smiled. "Besides, it was a college guys' trip, and Atticus was busy. Anyways, this should be pretty fun!"

"I guess we'll see how the sleepover goes," Cherry said with a small yawn. "But for right now, Mama needs to sleep."

"That goes double for us too." Thor nodded as they all put on their sleep clothes and got ready for bed.

* * *

Cherry came to the middle of the bed as the boys got ready to go to sleep. Thor hummed to himself as he and Lionel got ready for bed before he let out a small groan as he hugged his stomach.

"What's wrong, big guy?" asked Lionel

"Small cramp..." Thor groaned. "Maybe I overdid it with the snacks at the Parent Night."

"Hopefully it's nothing major..." Lionel said, concerned.

"I'm sure it'll be all right," Thor grinned sheepishly. "It's probably gas."

"You feel it move, you leave the bed!" Cherry's voice called out from that.

"I don't know what that means, but I suppose we'll see about that." Lionel stated.

The three parents soon turned in for the night as they drifted off into a deep sleep until the next morning, hoping not to hear any emergency calls from Bruce, though it seemed to be quiet after the death of The Joker. Fortunately for them, and everyone else who was involved. Atticus was quite busy himself as he had to help out Superman, which kept him away from home longer than he would like which started to make Akito a bit grumpy about not being able to spend as much time with his father as he used to. Fortunately, LJ decided to visit him every afternoon and keep him company. It at least helped soften the pain.

* * *

"Hmph..." Akito firmly pouted.

"I'm sure your dad will be back with you soon." LJ smiled.

"I dunno, I guess that's true," Akito sighed. "It just feels like he barely has time for us anymore."

"Hey... Sometimes adults are busy," LJ explained. "And we can't do much about it. The best that kids like us can do is work, or rather, play, with what we've got."

"Yeah, I guess so, but sometimes I don't wanna play, there is something I'd like to do that seems cool." Akito replied.

"What's that?" LJ asked.

"I dunno where, but I'd like to go on an adventure somewhere," Akito said before he came over to a globe and spun it around. "Travel the world... Make new friends... Help them out wherever and whenever they would need it."

"That sounds so cool!~" LJ gushed. "I would totally be down for somethin' like that!"

"Yeah!" Akito smiled. "We could see the world and new people! ...I just don't know how we would do it..." he then pondered thoughtfully.

"Well, my dad has powers," LJ replied. "Not to mention he used to answer to this guy called Drell who would send our parents on missions. Maybe our parents have some way to contact him?"

"Hmm... I guess that's possible..." Akito shrugged with a small smirk. "I love this town and all, but I guess exploring outside of it would be good, especially with having an adventure of my own."

"You mean _our_ own!" LJ retorted. "Ah, I suppose I can forgive you for that just this once." he shrugged.

"Heh," Akito chuckled. "Of course you can come along. I'm sure it'll be a great time for all of us."

"Oh, yeah!" LJ whooped.

"I guess the question is just... How do we do these adventures?" Akito then asked. "I mean, what would we do?"

"Guess we help the person or people there any way we can." LJ replied.

"Hmm... Yeah... I guess we'll wait for a call too..." Akito said thoughtfully. "If that's the case though, I can't wait for the call to adventure!" he then proclaimed heroicly.

"I mean, we'll hafta ask my parents about it, but we can work sumthin' out." LJ replied with a nod.

"Oh, yeah, that too," Akito then said. "It'll be an interesting experience that's for sure. At least, that's how Dad describes it whenever he tells us bedtime stories based on adventures he used to have."

"Well, once we get to go, we'll have stories of our own to tell!" LJ beamed.

"Yeah!" Akito beamed back before they both shared a high-five.

 ** _"HIIIIGH-FIIIIIVE~"_** A voice echoed in the background.

The two boys looked around, bewildered.

"What _was_ that?" LJ asked.

"...I don't know..." Akito replied.

They then shrugged it off and went to the kitchen to get something to munch on.

"You okay with burgers?" Akito asked as he was getting his favorite food together.

"I sure am!" LJ replied.

"Great! So am I!" Akito smiled as he soon began to prepare burgers for both of them to eat.

"Way past cool!" LJ exclaimed with a fist-pump.

Akito laughed as they shared their little snacks.

* * *

It seemed to be a day about friendship and adventures as Zofia began to have the same aspirations as her brother as she came over to her best friend's house which was a gothic-looking mansion.

"Going on some adventures would be nice... I don't know how or where I could go, but it's a good thought, I guess..." Zofia shrugged to herself before she rang the call button of the house. "'Ways to be Wicked'!" she then called out like a secret password.

"Be right there in a minute, Zo!" A voice replied on the other end.

Zofia nodded as she looked thoughtful. "Hmm... Maybe I should've had Estelle come with me since LJ's with Akito?" she then said to herself. "Then again, I'm not sure how she would feel around Creepie's family."

Eventually, the door opened, and Creepie was standing in the doorway. "Glad you showed up, Zo," she told her friend. "C'mon in."

The two girls soon stepped inside before a bug flew right by Zofia and waved around here.

"Ugh..." Zofia groaned as she saw who the bug was. "Hey, Gnat."

"Creepie friend! Creepie friend!" Gnat laughed as he flew beside her.

"Gnat, leave Zofia alone or I'm telling Mom that you tried to feed Aunt Rose my homework." Creepie glared at her annoying little brother.

"Aw! No fair!" Gnat cried from that before he literally buzzed off.

"Well, that's one way to clear out unwanted guests." Zofia remarked.

"Sorry about Gnat," Creepie rolled her eyes as she led Zofia into her bedroom. "So, what's been up with you lately? You still steamed at your big sister?"

"No, I'm over that," Zofia replied, following after her best friend. "I cooled down enough and we made up. I guess I'm just thinking about the adventures that my parents used to go on."

"Yeah? What about 'em?" Creepie asked.

"I dunno," Zofia shrugged. "I guess what it would be like to go on a lot of adventures with some friends."

"That does sound pretty cool," Creepie replied. "I'd be up for something like that."

"Right?!" Zofia beamed before she took out her book. "It would be cool to go on adventures like Flynn Carsen."

"Sometimes I'd like to explore more to find out where I came from," Creepie said as she looked out the window. "When I got old enough to understand, my parents told me that they found me on the doorstep of the mansion and they raised me like them ever since."

"I know, Creepie, you've told me," Zofia nodded. "I dunno if we could do that, but it would be nice to go on an adventure with you and maybe LJ too along with our cousins."

"I'd really like that," Creepie smiled. "I guess we'd have to wait and see if town doesn't get too dangerous to live in with a lot of crazy stuff that happens after dark."

"Good thing we live in the suburbs..." Zofia replied.

"I'm also good as long as Aunt Rose is fed and kept in her room." Creepie added.

"Good point..." Zofia replied.

The two soon sat down and began to paint each other's nails.

"I think you'll like this design." Creepie said as she painted Zofia's nails black with a red hourglass shape on the thumbnail.

"Yeah, that looks great," Zofia nodded. "Reminds me of your backpack."

Creepie chuckled a bit from that.

"Adventures... I wonder what'll await for us?" Zofia then gave a dreamy sigh.

"Probably something cool." Creepie smirked back at her friend as she flopped onto her beanbag chair.

"Heh, yeah... Hopefully..." Zofia beamed at her best friend.

The kids continued to relax for a little while longer.

* * *

"Any word from Atticus?" Thor asked Cherry.

Cherry shook her head with a sigh.

"Guess he's hard at work with Superman," Thor sighed. "He was pretty busy too around high school graduation."

"I'd say so what with the President Lex Luthor scare at that time and now more craziness around the world aside from those Jokerz." Cherry replied as she started to do some housework with him as they weren't as busy as they were before.

Then, all of a sudden, the lights went out.

"Hang on, I've got it!" Lionel shouted up to his significant others. Then, he let out a rising scream before the power switched back on.

Cherry and Thor blinked a couple of times.

"Thanks!" Cherry called out. "Boy, that was random." she then said.

"Something must've KO'd the power grid," Lionel said as he popped back into the room. "Must've been some sort of E.M.P. device... A massive one, to be exact."

"Should we go scope things out?" Thor suggested as he scratched his stomach.

"...That seems like the best idea." Lionel replied.

"But the kids..." Thor then realized. "We can't leave them all alone."

"Oh, please... They're with their friends, but in case they come home early..." Cherry said before she took out her phone and made a special call.

* * *

Felicity laughed with her friends as they hung out at the Mall like any other teenagers would before she took out her phone as it rang, so she answered it. "Erm... Hello, Mother."

 ** _"Felicity, your father, uncle, and I need to step out for a little bit,"_ **Cherry said. **_"If you and your brother and sister come home while we're gone, you're in charge."_**

"Yes, Mother," Felicity promised. "You can count on me."

 ** _"Great,"_ **Cherry replied. **_"See you around."_** And she hung up.

"Let's rock and ride." Lionel nodded as he zapped them all into their costumes, then to Batman's location; apparently he, Max, and Carrie were riding on horseback... Accompanied by a teenage boy who was dressed in a black Batsuit with a red bat-emblem like Lionel's.

* * *

"This is a lot less fun than I thought it'd be...!" Carrie yelped.

"You'll get used to it..." Batman replied.

"Gotta say... Pretty unusual for our first father-son bonding activity!" The boy shouted.

"At least it's something." Batman smirked.

Dark Mite, Voltage, and Catwoman II glanced at each other before they began to follow after the horses along with Batman and Carrie.

"It's so good to see you guys again." Batman said to the three.

"It's good to see you too," Catwoman II replied. "I guess at least I had the boys to keep me company."

"Yep." Dark Mite grinned. 


	8. Chapter 8

In Gotham's streets, there was utter chaos; a plane had just crashed and exploded, people were running amok, either looting or trying to avoid the insanity, and in general, a sense of lawlessness had settled over the city.

"And I thought things were going swell without us!" Catwoman II pouted.

"They were, for a while," Batman replied. "Then Corto Maltese launched a missile to cripple our defenses and take out our power grid. With no power, the people began to riot."

"THIS IS OUR MOMENT!" yelled one of the Sons of Batman gang, waving a torch in one hand and a shotgun in the other. "Gotham is helpless! We shall take charge, and we'll kill anyone who stands in our way!" He was met with a rousing cheer from his fellow gang members.

"No!" Batman's voice called out.

This made the crowd turn around as they saw that they had some company. The horses soon carried the Bat-Family over with Batman in the lead as the others followed after him. Batman's horse reared up as the Sons of Batman leader flinched slightly as he took charge from there.

"Tonight I am going to maintain order in Gotham City," Batman proclaimed. "You are going to help me, but not with these," he then took a hold of a gun. "These are loud and clumsy. These are the weapons of cowards." he said as he broke the gun in half from there.

The crowd looked a bit startled and surprised from this.

Dark Mite took out some Batarangs. "Our weapons are precise and quiet. In time, you shall be taught to use them, but tonight, you will rely on your brains and your fists. Tonight... We are the law! Tonight, _BATMAN_ IS THE LAW!" he proclaimed.

The crowd let out another rousing cheer.

"I couldn't have said it better myself." Batman approved to Dark Mite.

"I just hope this doesn't bite us in the ass later." Catwoman II remarked.

"You and me both." Voltage agreed.

* * *

In the meantime, there was a bit of a riot in town with people robbing and looting. Of course, nobody could call for help due to the lines being down and the power being out all over the city. Some gang members continued causing havoc, but when Batman and the others rode onto the scene on horseback, they helped reign things in and bring some order to the disarray.

"I believe you're all breaking curfew!" Catwoman II glared.

"What's it to you, old bat?" One thug laughed at her.

Catwoman II narrowed her eyes and soon lashed out her whip at him as punishment.

"Yeah, whip it! Whip it good!" Dark Mite whooped.

Some thugs were tied up together and they whacked all around against each other.

"You guys ever get hit by thunder?" Voltage smirked.

The thugs laughed at that.

"You can't get struck by thunder." One of them laughed out loud.

"You're an idiot!" Another thug added.

"That's my cue!" Voltage replied before he stomped heavily and slammed his hands onto the road without hurting them as he made the ground rumble a bit as dark clouds surrounded the thugs who laughed at him and they got zapped instantly. "Whatya know? I guess you can get hit by thunder." he then smirked from the victory.

"Shocking, isn't it?" Dark Mite quipped.

"I think you all oughta leave," Catwoman II glared at the thugs. "We don't have time for blokes like you mucking about on our precious streets, foiling our plans."

* * *

Luckily, Gordon was helping some of the non-looters to put out fires that had broken out up and down the street. People ran all around between the smoke and flames from the burning buildings.

"Hey, we need to put out the fires." Gordon said to a woman who ran past him with her cat before he stopped her.

"Are you crazy?" The woman replied before she got loose and kept running. "Let go of me."

"Get out of my store, huh!" A man called out from the hardware store, waving around a piece of plank. "Get out of here."

People looted the store and some passed by only to get hit, but some lucky ones missed. Everybody soon stopped what they were doing as they heard the sound of a gunshot which was from Gordon himself as he tried to get everybody's attention.

"Listen up," Gordon announced to everybody who looked at him. "This is our neighborhood. Our homes. We're better than this. The fires are spreading, and the fire department isn't coming. So if any of you want roofs over your heads tomorrow and the day after that, start helping."

One-by-one, the people started to pitch in and help in putting out the fires, as Batman and the others strode by on horseback. Some included Felicity's classmates from school who lived in the bad side of town, especially Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls..." Batman announced. "...I'm here to appeal to your community spirit. I know you've had your differences in the past. Some of you will even argue that you can't work together. That's fine. Those people will stay tied up. And it will not be a function of which group you're in."

A balding man with glasses scoffed. "What is this, The Gestapo? He lumps us together with criminals." he grumbled before he got kicked by another person.

"Shut up, man." The other guy told him.

"The rest of you can lend a hand to keep our city from falling apart," Dark Mite announced. "You can lead by example. Your choice. I'm sure you're all eager to help."

Uma shrugged once she was shown. "Ah, what the hell. I live here, so letting everything burn up _would_ kinda fuckin' suck." she decided.

The people grew silent as they had a lot to think about.

"I'm in either way." Uma remarked.

"Good to have you aboard... Uh... Young lady." Catwoman II said to the girl.

"Damn straight." Uma smirked as she came to help out.

Dark Mite turned to the others. "You heard the girl! Grab a bucket, and get to splashing!" he yelled to the other people. 

Everybody soon went to do what they could, moved by the speeches. Uma soon set off with the friends she had in this neighborhood so that they could help out.

A man glared as he was too stubborn to move from his spot on the sidewalk as Carrie came to him on horseback. "I'm suing." he glared up to the costumed girl.

"Good luck with that." Carrie retorted with a smirk before she rode off.

People continued to lend a helping hand, even when the fire department finally showed up and commandeered the hydrants to hook up their hoses. Some of them even chopped the doors open to save people who might've been trapped in their apartments.

* * *

Meanwhile, a police officer was shown with a certain woman who watched the scene down below.

"What are we gonna do?" The police officer asked the woman.

"Nothing," Yindel replied as she looked through her binoculars. "He's too big."

Dark Mite, Catwoman II, and Voltage all nodded to the hard work.

"Also glad to have you here with us." Catwoman II said to the teen who had accompanied them for this mission.

"It's great to be here personally as well." The teen grinned happily.

* * *

A few months had passed since then, and November had come. And with it, snowfall. So naturally, the kids decided to go to the park with their friends.

 ** _"One week now that the U.S. has been blanketed in a cloud of ash,"_ **A newswoman reported. ** _"Electricity is finally coming back online in parts of the country, but the impact on weather patterns is expected to last much longer. It's high noon in Gotham City, and yet there's no sun and it's the coldest day of the year. I don't know what to wear."_** she then added.

 ** _"Every major city in the country, but one has descended into riots, looting, and other crimes,"_** The newsman added. **_"The president has imposed limited martial law, but this has been seen to have little effect."_**

 ** _"Only Gotham has maintained order, thanks to the vigilante gang being led by the Batman, adding to the massive credibility nightmare, being experienced by the president's administration."_** Another newswoman soon concluded as news spread through the TVs, including showing some kids outside, playing in the snow.

* * *

Felicity took her brother and sister to the park and they all smiled as they each saw their friends there, though Jay laughed as he threw snowballs everywhere, even at Carlos as the younger boy ran off as fast as he could to stop getting hit.

"Hey, Flick, over here!" Mal called out as she sat on the bench, tying a pair of ice-skates on.

"You guys have fun." Felicity smiled at LJ and Zofia before she came to see her friends as they split up.

"Sure," LJ replied as he saw the Fudo kids making snow forts with his school friends. "Ladies and gentlemen, boils and ghouls, the fun has arrived!~"

The group laughed a bit.

"Hey, LJ, good to see ya." Akito smiled.

"I'll say," Vincent added. "You wanna help out?"

"Sure, just tell me where to begin!" LJ replied.

"You could make some bases from there," Estelle suggested. "We're making the edges."

"So I'll help out with the bases." Akito offered.

"Roger-wilco!" LJ saluted, scooping up some snow and gathering it into piles.

Felicity soon came to see her friends as Evie tied on her own ice-skates.

"Oh... Good morning." Chip greeted as he skated on the ice already.

Felicity glanced at him before yelping as she stumbled onto the ice by accident and fell suddenly.

"OOH!" Jay winced. "...That's gotta hurt!"

"Should I get an ice pack?" Carlos added.

"Oh, dear... Are you alright?" Chip asked as he skated up to Felicity to help her up.

"...I fell... And I landed on my..." Felicity said before she looked to her backside as she shoved her hands in her pockets with a sheepish pout. "O-On the ice..."

"It's pretty slippery." Chip smiled sheepishly.

"Yes... It's... Slippery..." Felicity repeated bashfully.

"This is a perfect day for skating!" Chip then beamed before he skated out on the ice with a laugh and held out his hand for her. "Come on!"

"Oh... Uh... Nah..." Felicity mumbled as she stepped back away from the ice.

"Go on!" Evie hissed. "You wanted to spend time with him? Here's your chance!" she gave Felicity a light nudge, sending her into Chip's arms.

Felicity looked wide-eyed and blushed from that. Chip chuckled a little before he helped her stand up and skated more into the ice. Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos hid away with small laughs as they watched the two.

"Why don't you try it like this?" Chip suggested as he demonstrated some light skating straight forward. "1, 2, 3... 1, 2, 3... See? It's easy!" he then smiled to her as he showed her.

Felicity stepped out a little and soon began to skate with him as the others watched them in delight.

"Yes, I think this might work." Mal smiled in approval.

"Just in time for the upcoming dance too." Evie smiled back.

* * *

LJ sighed. "Teenagers; I just don't understand why they can get so goofy when it comes to stuff related to love," he muttered. "It boggles the mind, perplexes the soul..."

"Hi, LJ!" A voice called from behind him which belonged to Kimberly.

"H-hi, Kimberly!" LJ exclaimed, his face completely red. "What brings you to the park on this fine day?"

"I thought I'd come out a little bit," Kimberly smiled. "It's not too cold and it looks like a fun day."

"It sure does," Estelle smiled back. "Wanna help with our snow fort?"

"Sure!" Kimberly beamed.

"We could always use an extra pair of hands." Creepie replied.

"Well, alright," LJ replied. "Guess we can both help with our forts!"

"Forts! Forts! Forts!" The groups cheered.

And so, the kids took to their snow forts while the teenagers ice-skated together as Chip held onto Felicity in his arms as they skated all around happily.

* * *

Terry was sitting nearby with Uma on a nearby bench. "Well, at least somebody's having fun." he remarked.

"Mm-hmm..." Uma nodded.

"Do you like snow?" Terry asked.

"It's okay, I guess," Uma replied. "I'm more of a summer girl honestly. I love being in the water."

"Yeah, I can understand what'cha mean," Terry replied. "Never did like snow; it's cold and soggy and it gets everywhere, especially when it melts."

"I just like it when there's a lot and I don't have to go to work for the day," Uma smirked. "Mom doesn't even care though, she just usually locks herself in her room and watches soap operas all day."

"You have a job?" Terry then asked.

"Yeah," Uma nodded. "You hear of Captain Hook & Ursula's Fish & Chips?"

"That cheesy place where the people dress like and talk like pirates and serve cheap seafood?" Terry asked with a laugh which got him a look from Uma. "Oh... Uh... You work there?"

"Whenever I don't have school." Uma replied with a sharp eyebrow hook as if to warn him not to laugh at what she did outside of school.

Terry coughed. "...Oh. My bad." he replied, sheepish.

"Hm... You might watch it next time..." Uma crossed her arms with a small smirk. "Or else I'll sing you the Happy Sailor Birthday song the next time you come over to the diner."

Terry blushed. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind." he replied.

"You're an interesting kid, Terry," Uma said. "A lot more interesting than most boys at school. Especially with that dance coming up. My mother has a necklace for me and my aunt has a dress for me, but... I dunno if I'll go." she then shrugged.

"Well, why not?" Terry asked.

"I guess, who would I go with?" Uma replied. "I mean, I don't really care what those snobby girls say about me going stag, but I'd kinda hate to be alone while everybody else has somebody... And there's no way I'm going with Hook's son, Harry..." she then scoffed. "He's a total nutbar."

Terry blinked. "Well... I don't have anything planned that night," he replied. "I mean... I'd totally go with you, if that was alright."

"You'd go with me?" Uma asked.

Terry nodded, a bit bashfully.

"Hmm..." Uma paused thoughtfully before she blushed slightly, feeling flattered, but tried to keep it cool. "Uh... Thanks, Terry... I'll take that into consideration."

Terry smiled. "I like those odds."

"Great," Uma smiled back. "I do too, Terry."

And so the both of them sat on a nearby bench as they watched the others play in the snow. Overall, it was a very wonderful wintry day for all.

* * *

"What a beautiful day in November, It's a day we will long remember, Because nobody is going to be dismembered!~" Terry started to sing. "What a wonderful winter day!, The trees are green, the sky is blue, Where we're wearing slightly warmer shoes, There's lots snow, and that's okay!, What a wonderful winter day!~"

"A wintry, wonderful day~" Carlos sang before Mal, Evie, Jay, Felicity, and Chip joined in. "A wonderful wintry day~"

"Uma, come sing with us!" Terry called out.

"...No." Uma crossed her arms.

"Oh, alright... But that's okay!" Terry replied. "What a wonderful wintry day!~"

"I can now survive a whole day without fear~" Chip sang.

"I wish I had a cute boy here~..." Evie gushed.

"...Evie's weird." Felicity stated.

"And that's okay!" Terry then beamed. "What a wonderful wintry day!~"

"A wintry, wonderful day~" The others chorused.

"Yes, a wonderful wintry day~" Terry smiled.

"My hair's too precious to wear hats~" Evie then sang.

"We have to thank those who trust the Bats~" Jay sang.

"But I still say!~" Terry sang. "What a wonderful wintry day! We'll make snowmen, hang pretty lights and hot chocolate, after some snowball fights, but there's also nothing here that fights, What a wonderful wintry day, It's still a wonderful~..."

"Magical!" Mal beamed.

"Seaworthy!" Uma added.

"Mightily!" Jay added.

"Gorgeous!" Evie added.

"Pretty good." Felicity smiled.

"Very good." Chip smiled back as they seemed to hold hands from that.

"A wintry, wonderful day, A wonderful wintry day~," Everybody sang. "A wonderful winter daaaaay~"

Akito blinked. "...What the heck was _that_?" he asked.

"I have no idea..." LJ replied, scratching his head. "Teenagers, who can figure 'em out?"

Everybody then went back to having their fun in the snow.


	9. Chapter 9

At the house, Cherry decided to make some nice, hot chicken soup while Thor made some hot chocolate for all of the kids.

"I guess I'll take care of the dance?" Thor spoke up. "Ya know, as the chaperone."

"I just feel like Lionel and I might be busy before then," Cherry replied. "You can go though. I'm sure you'll make sure everybody has a good time as long as you don't embarrass Felicity to death. I hear she might like this one boy named Chip though."

"Ah, good for her!" Lionel exclaimed. "Glad to know she's found love!"

"Ah, yes... A big school dance..." Thor sighed as he looked nostalgic. "I remember our last school dance... It was very, very old school..."

* * *

_We are shown Cherry, Lionel, and Thor's high school on the night of the big dance as there was a special theme that night which was dedicated to the 1980's and everybody came as popular figures from that time such as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and many, many more._

_"I don't care who anyone says, I love this outfit." Cherry said, dressed in her MJ costume._

_"It's a unique look for you, that's for sure." Atticus replied, dressed as Ferris Bueller of all people._

_"That goes without saying." Lionel replied, dressed as Marty McFly._

_"I'll say," Thor added as he wore a black leather jacket over his white tank top and blue jeans with gray sneakers to look like Ren McCormick. "You get my outfit, right, Cherry?" he then asked._

_"Yeah, you're Ren when he's thinking about Ariel and Reverand Moore to work out his anger and stress." Cherry replied._

_"Exactly!" Thor exclaimed. "No one else gets it!"_

_"Well, they don't appreciate Footloose like I do," Cherry replied. "I'm not really gaga over Kevin Bacon myself, but you look great as him."_

_"Exactly!" Lionel agreed. "It fits you like a glove!"_

_Thor blushed a bit from that. A song soon began to play._

_"I know you guys aren't much of dancers, but... Could I have this one?" Thor asked. "I love this song a lot."_

_Cherry and Lionel looked at each other before looking back with nods of their heads. "Sure!"_

_"I thought that dreams belonged to other men, 'Cuz each time I got close, They'd fall apart again~," The song began in the background as the couples came out to share a dance with each other as Cherry went back and forth to dance with both Thor and Lionel to take turns. "I feared my heart would beat in secrecy, I faced the nights alone, Oh, how could I have known, That all my life, I only needed you? Oh, Oh, Oh, Almost paradise~"_

_Thor suddenly kissed Lionel which made him look bashful. "I am so sorry..." he then said, feeling embarrassed with himself._

_"We're knocking on Heaven's door, Almost paradise, How could we ask for more?, I swear that I can see, Forever in your eyes, Paradise~" The song continued in the background._

_Lionel blushed. "Man, you don't hafta apologize for NUTHIN'!" he replied._

_"Just... Sometimes the music moves me..." Thor blushed back._

_Some of the other students looked sick or mocked the two for kissing in public like that._

_"These people are watching though..." Thor said bashfully._

_"Make them watch..." Cherry said before she took his face to give him a kiss from her then._

_Thor's eyes widened as he tapped his foot up and down._

_"Ah, you like the best of both worlds," Cherry smirked. "I will make this a night to remember for all of us. Yes, I will~"_

_Lionel chuckled. "Then I say, bring your A-game." he replied._

_"All right..." Cherry said before she soon took a hold of him next and kissed him._

* * *

_**At the chaperones' table...** _

_"So as I was saying about mine and Mother's last Scrabble game," Mr. Kraft chuckled to Hilda, who looked bored to tears from the story, before he took a look over and gasped at the dancefloor. "Hey! That kind of activity is not appropriate for a school dance!"_

_"I swear, Zelda tricked me into doing this job." Hilda grumbled to herself._

_"Tell it to someone who cares!" Lionel sneered at Mr. Kraft, pulling down his eyelid and sticking out his tongue._

_"Oh, lighten up, you windbag," Hilda retorted to the man. "You wouldn't know fun if it snuck up and bit you! Besides, at least they're not drinking."_

_"I'll just chalk that up to you drinking already," Mr. Kraft said as a certain someone approached behind him with a giant punch bowl. "Now, Hilda, we have to make sure what's best for the kids and that includes--"_

_WHAM! The punch bowl soon crashed on top of the mortal man which made him fall over, drowning in the punch._

_"I thought I told you to stay away from my woman!" Drell glared before he came up to Hilda with a smirk as she smirked back._

_Cherry, Lionel, and Thor soon had a group laugh as they all held each other's hands._

**End of Flashback**

* * *

Thor sighed happily back in the present day. "Maybe I oughta give those boy friends of Felicity's some tips on scoring themselves some dates for that dance," he then said. "They don't seem to feel that way around Evie or Mal."

"Probably because they've been friends with them for so long," Lionel replied.

"Well, I don't know who they could go with to the dance, but hopefully they meet someone in school that they find interesting," Cherry shrugged. "Still, Thor, your advice might work out. I highly doubt their own parents will be helpful."

"I thought so too, so that's why I thought I'd help them, then the next day at school, they meet possible dates and grow from there." Thor smiled.

"Way cool plan, big man!" Lionel replied, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Heheh... Thank you..." Thor chuckled as he beamed from that.

Cherry soon poured some bowls of soup as she expected the kids to rush inside any minute now from the cold snow outside. First in were LJ and Kimberly, who both sat together after taking off their boots and coats.

"Man, it's like snow somehow gets colder every year," LJ remarked. "And yet... Not as malleable. Shoddy production quality."

"It's a start." Kimberly replied.

"Hey! You're back!" Thor beamed at Kimberly.

"I'm back!" Kimberly smiled at him. "We had quite the wonderful wintry day out there."

"Yeah, even with that weird musical number." LJ added.

The adults laughed a bit from that as they gave LJ and Kimberly the chicken soup and hot chocolate.

"This should help warm you up after a big day out in the snow," Thor smiled. "We made it ourselves."

"Ah, I love that homemade touch." Kimberly smiled back as she put some marshmallows into her cup.

"Yeah, that makes two of us!" LJ agreed as he sat with the other kids.

"Uh... Ma'am...?" Carlos spoke up as he stared into his mug.

"Yes?" Cherry replied.

"What's this?" Carlos asked as he pointed inside the mug. "Are you feeding us dirty water?"

"What? No!" Cherry said with a small laugh. "That's hot chocolate, dear."

Hot... Choco... Late..." Carlos repeated slowly as though he had never heard of that before.

"Yeah, it's a drink, see?" LJ explained. "Ya drink it when the weather gets cold! Sometimes you put marshmallows in it!"

Carlos looked scared to try it.

"Oh, come on, Carlos," Kimberly told him. "You act like you've never had chocolate before."

"...I haven't..." Carlos admitted. "My mother usually gives me gruel."

"Well, try it," Kimberly smiled. "You'll like it."

Carlos grimaced before he swallowed from his cup before his eyes widened and he happily drank some more, a bit too fast though.

"Oh! Careful! It's--" Cherry warned.

"Gah!" Carlos yelped as he burnt his tongue before waving his face and panted.

"Hot..." Cherry then said. "I'm sorry..."

"It's good though!" Carlos panted.

"Sometimes you hafta mix in a little cold milk or ice to cool it," Lionel explained. "Otherwise, it is REALLY great."

Carlos looked sheepish.

"Family, I have another guest coming if that's okay." Felicity said as she was on her way inside.

"That's alright, we have plenty to go around." Thor reassured.

"Okay, good," Felicity smiled as she turned around. "Come on in, Chip."

"Thanks, Felicity." Chip smiled back as he came into the house with her.

"So this is the Chip guy..." LJ and Ichabod inspected him. "He seems alright."

"We hear you work in the cafeteria with your mother at the school." Ich added.

"Yeah, that's right," Chip replied. "She thought it would be a good way for me to meet some friends, though I'm also home-schooled whenever we're not preparing lunch for other students."

"Wicked," Creepie replied. "Well, you're Zo's sister's friend, so I guess I could trust ya."

"You seem alright." Sandra replied with a shrug.

"Felicity is a treasure," added LJ. "So we advise you treat her with respect, you know?"

"Oh, of course," Chip replied. "I'll do my best to keep her happy."

"Good..." Mal smirked. "Or else I'll come after you."

Chip grinned nervously at the purple-haired girl from that. Everyone had a good laugh at that.

"So, are you kids going to your school's dance?" Thor asked.

"Gosh, I'd love to, but... I don't know who I could go with..." Jay shrugged.

"Almost all of the girls like you already," Carlos smirked. "Maybe you should stop torturing them and just go with all of them."

"Ha-Ha-Ha," Jay rolled his eyes as he sipped his hot chocolate. "I dunno... My focus though was going to try out for the football team. I'm sure I could be better than that dopey Chad kid... I swear, he's only on the team for show-off value."

"And cuz he likes having people kiss his butt," added Carlos. "Same case for Audrey."

"Seriously, though: you'll need to pick someone," replied Thor. "Just don't book four dates for one night, cuz that never ends well."

"Yeah... I guess you're right..." Jay replied.

"Show the guy or girl you like you care about them," Thor advised. "Show or give them something that they like to show that you care about their interests... Start a conversation from there and maybe invite them to go with you somewhere and see if you guys click."

"Well... There is a girl I've seen around the hallways that I like, but... It's hard to talk with her..." Carlos said.

"Care to share who the lovely lady is?" Thor asked.

"Um, yes..." Carlos said bashfully. "The headmistress's daughter, Jane."

"Oh, yeah, she's a cutie," Thor smiled. "Hmm..." he then paused thoughtfully.

Jay nodded. "Good on ya, man."

"And how about you?" asked Thor.

"Oh, uh, I dunno..." Jay shrugged. "No girl really stands out yet."

"I think there's a cute girl who does sports sometimes with the boys." Cherry spoke up.

"Oh, yeah, I've seen her," Thor replied. "Apparently her mother served in the Army before she was born."

"Oh... Yeah..." Jay then said as he looked bashful. "I think her name's Lonnie."

"Oh-ho-ho, I see that you like her, eh?" Thor grinned.

Jay blushed right then. "...Maybe... I dunno..."

The others laughed playfully a bit from that.

"There are a lot of cute boys at school, but I don't know who I could ask out." Evie said.

"Yeah, same here," Mal replied. "I just know not that Zevon kid. And I thought Freddie and Celia's old man at the arcade at the Mall was dark and mysterious."

"At least he seems cool," Carlos replied. "That Zevon kid is just Level-10-creepy. Maybe that Doug kid in my math class?"

"Doug?" Evie asked. "Isn't he in the band?"

"Yeah," Carlos smiled. "Maybe you could talk to him. It'd be better than Chad for sure, he'd probably just make you do his homework or something since you're pretty smart."

"Hmm... I guess I could try him..." Evie shrugged.

"That's the spirit." Mal smirked at her friend.

"As for you, Mal... Hmm..." Thor paused. "...I guess we'll see who you like."

"...I'm not sure if there's a boy I like at school." Mal said bashfully.

"So you claim..." Evie remarked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mal rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Mal, I think there's someone you like," Evie smirked. "You just don't know how to tell him."

"...Nope!" Mal replied. "Nobody comes to mind."

"If you say so." Evie shrugged.

"Hm..." Mal rolled her eyes before she sipped her hot chocolate.

"Regardless, I'll be at your dance." Thor told them.

"Just please don't embarrass me." Felicity said to him.

"Please! Like I could ever embarrass anybody!" Thor replied.

"And it's not like he ever actually MEANS to." Lionel added.

"I just want to see your dress before you go." Zofia told Felicity.

"Sure," Felicity smiled at her little sister. "I'm pretty sure we'll all take pictures of our new outfits before we leave for the night."

"Yehp-yehp, you have fun while we hang back and chat with our parents." LJ replied with a smile.

The group all smiled as they shared their hot chocolate with their chicken soup.

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos looked and felt a little envious though of Felicity being close and happy with her parents as they didn't have such happy lives themselves.

* * *

_Mal thought about when it was around the time of her 6th birthday and she was given a letter from her father who would come to town for her birthday which made her so excited and happy, but he soon called to say that he wouldn't be able to make it. She was devastated as a child when that would happen, but as she became a teenager, she felt that she didn't need her father and he only did what was best for him and that he didn't care about her or her mother as she felt trapped with her mother whenever he wasn't there for her._

* * *

"If you guys ever considered running away from home... You could crash here." LJ told them as he went to go watch cartoons.

The four teenagers looked thoughtful about that.

* * *

_Evie sighed before flinched and squinting her eyes as she thought about her childhood. She was a very young girl and thrown into beauty pageants with her mother dolling her up and dressing her up and throwing her out on stage. She often won a lot of them and she would have people flashing their cameras at her and making her pose while her mother would greedily accept the trophies and money prizes while Evie would play with the dollhouses or play castles as she pretended that she was a princess._

_Carlos shivered as he held himself a bit, feeling cold as he thought about how as a kid he was terrified of his mother who often made him sleep on the floor to protect her precious closet from thieves and even placing bear traps all around the house and he usually had to take care of his mother's spoiled dog, feeling more like the dog's dog._

_Jay then thought of how he sometimes had to steal from others and load them up into a bag to give to his father for his shop to sell to other people for outrageous prices. He would be able to get some food, but after he did his job, his father often left him alone most of the time as if he saw his son more of a tool than his own child._

* * *

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos all sighed softly as they thought more about what LJ offered to them.

"Still beats our old homes," Jay remarked. "And it's not like our parents will miss us."

"I feel more at home here." Carlos added.

"Do you think that they mean it?" Evie asked.

"I don't know what's true anymore sometimes," Mal said softly. "If they're tricking us, I'm gonna be very pissed."

"I don't think Felicity's family would deceive you," Chip smiled. "They seem great if you ask me. Of course, no one could replace my mother, I'm sure you four would like it here if you lived here."

"Yeah, and we _do_ have plenty of extra rooms here!" Lionel replied. "At least, they should be finished shortly."

The four still looked thoughtful about the offer, but it was still better than going back to their so-called homes.

"You can go to your places and pack up if you want," Thor suggested. "If you have stuff you wanna take with you."

"Thank you, Mr. Moltenschwartz." The four teens replied.

"No problem!" Thor replied.

* * *

Eventually, things got quiet as Felicity and Chip sat on the porch swing together, out of the snow as they brought their hot chocolate cups with them.

"So, Felicity, you heard about the dance then?" Chip asked.

"Um, yeah..." Felicity smiled bashfully. "It sure would be nice to go."

"I think so too," Chip smiled back. "I'd like to go with someone though."

"Me too," Felicity blushed. "But who to go with?"

"Well, if you'll say yes, I'd love to go with you," Chip said which made her gasp. "So, what do you say to that?"

"Oh, Chip," Felicity beamed. "I'd love to."

"Well, it's about time," LJ smirked. "Now to make sure we get to have adventures!"

"I'm still wondering how exactly we would make that happen though." Zofia replied.

"By just asking our parents, obviously." LJ replied.

"Hmm... If they'd be okay with it..." Zofia said.

"Like they wouldn't be." LJ replied.

Thor glanced around before he chuckled to himself and used his magic to clean the dishes rather than just washing them by hand.

"Well, we won't know unless we toughen up and ask," LJ said. "So I say we do it."

"Okay..." Zofia said before she took some deep breaths. "Creepie says to be strong and vulnerable like an ant... To be quick and fearless like a honeybee protecting my hive... And intelligent and survivable like a cockroach."

"Girl likes her bugs, huh?" LJ asked.

"You have no idea..." Zofia replied innocently. "Let's go."

And so, the both of them went to go ask their parents.


	10. Chapter 10

Thor came behind the couch to leap over to sit.

"Thor! Look before you leap!" Cherry cried out.

"Oh! Sorry..." Thor said before he moved to the other side of the couch and jumped that way to sit next to Cherry while Lionel was on her other side.

"Phew..." Cherry sighed as she leaned in the couch thankfully.

"Mommy... Daddy... Can we talk to you?~" LJ and Zofia called cutely at first.

LJ shivered. "Ugh... I hated that..."

"Yeah, what's up?" asked Lionel as he and Cherry turned to see their younger kids.

"Well... We were just thinking..." Zofia said.

"That's dangerous." Thor smirked suddenly.

"Shush, you," Cherry told him before looking back. "What about?"

"Well... We were wondering if... We could go on adventures like you guys used to." Zofia then said.

"Yeah!" LJ added. "Also, same for Akito and our other friends."

"Hm... Okay." Lionel replied.

"I'm sure we could arrange that for you," Cherry said. "We'd have to make some calls though and get back to you."

"So we can go on adventures?" Zofia beamed.

"You could go as far as I know right now, don't get too excited, but it shouldn't be a problem." Cherry replied.

"Well... Okay," LJ replied. "I think we can tell the others the good news."

"Just know that the life of an adventurer is a very big responsibility." Cherry advised.

"Yes, Mother, we understand," Zofia promised. "Thank you for your time."

"You're welcome." Cherry nodded once.

LJ and Zofia walked away... Only to make giddy noises of delight once they were out of earshot.

"We did it!" Zofia laughed. "We're gonna have our own adventures!"

"I can hardly wait," LJ giggled. "We should go tell our friends!"

"Yeah!" Zofia beamed.

They soon went off to do just that as the adults began to rest and relax on the couch. And so they told their friends while their parents relaxed.

* * *

It sounded pretty good as everybody heard the news to go on various adventures with each other, especially for Akito who was more than happy to agree to the life of an adventurer as it made him so happy that he sky-rocketed out of his house, leaving a hole in the roof.

"Akito Benjamin Fudo, you better fix that!" Mo's voice called sharply.

"Sorry, Mom!" Akito called back bashfully as he decided to fix the hole with his Wiccan magic.

"Gee... And I thought I got excited!" Ichabod remarked.

"Looks like we got a new life to get our hands on," Akito smiled. "I can't imagine how this day could get any better."

"Hard to imagine how things could get better." Ichabod shrugged.

"Hey, kids," Atticus smiled as he came through the door. "I'm gonna be off work for a while, so how 'bout we snuggle together with some movies and a pizza?"

"Oh, Dad," Akito beamed as he zipped over before hugging his father's legs. "You're the best."

LJ shrugged. "Can't argue with _that_ ," he remarked. "I guess the day _did_ get better!"

Overall, today turned out to be the best day ever.

"Dad, how's Superman?" Akito asked.

"He seems to be alright," Atticus replied. "He said he would cover some other ground, but he thought I should be home with you guys and Mom."

"Well, I'm glad he did," Akito beamed. "I'm so excited too for what's coming up later."

"What's later?" Atticus smiled.

"We're gonna start going on adventures like you guys did when you were younger," Akito smiled back. "I've wanted to do this ever since you first told how you got to help create The Justice League after you vanquished Darkseid."

"Mm-hmm!" LJ added. "It's gonna be _awesome_!"

"Well, I hope you guys have fun and I wish you a lot of luck." Atticus advised.

"Thanks, Dad!" The Fudo siblings beamed from that.

"Boy, I wonder what the first adventure will be?" Zofia smiled hopefully.

"Who _knows_?!" LJ asked. "But it'll probably be AMAZING!"

The adults all looked happy for the kids, though they just hoped that this would go smoothly for them. Even though they had their own stuff to deal with, but not at the moment. Of course, there would be more on that later, though you are probably now left with numerous questions. What will the brand new adventure be for the kids? Will Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos move in with The Moltenschwartz Clan? Is there any more hot chocolate leftover to be shared by the end of this story? I suppose you shall find out at another time in the next story in an alternate reality of The Justiceverse. So until then, that's...

The End


End file.
